WHEN Dr Francis Oen, 47, moved into his terrace house near Lower Delta Road a decade ago, the area was a mix of bungalows, semi-detached homes and terrace houses.

Now, Dr Oen's home faces 11 units of cluster homes, each five storeys high.

'It changes the characteristics of the neighbourhood and disrupts the look of the place,' the Bukit Teresa Close resident said last week.

Like Dr Oen, other home owners have taken issue with these high-density developments, which often take the form of row houses. They have become increasingly popular in recent years because they combine condo-style shared facilities - like pools and gyms - with the space of landed premises.

Since 2003, about 100 sites have been approved for such development.

Neighbouring property owners say these high-density clusters have changed the character of landed estates, leading to more traffic and noise.

The Straits Times recently visited eight estates with cluster homes - including recently-completed units and ongoing developments - and spoke to nearby landed residents.

Traffic was the top concern of those who took issue with cluster homes.

Mrs Anne Baillie, who lives near 100-odd cluster homes along Kew Crescent in the East, has to deal with heavy traffic and parked delivery trucks when taking her car out. The 46-year-old said: 'I have to be extra careful.'

Lorong Selangat in the Braddell area, has one set of partially occupied cluster homes, with another set underway.

Read the full story in Tuesday's edition of The Straits Times.