What is a regional centre?

Regional centres outside the city centre were introduced in 1991 to decentralise economic activities.

Woodlands grew rapidly in the 1990s and was earmarked for extensive development to transform it into a regional centre for the northern part of Singapore in 1997.

The other two such centres are the Jurong Lake District and Tampines Regional Centre. Seletar is slated to be the fourth such centre.

What is the Remaking Our Heartland scheme?

It is a programme by the Housing Board to spruce up the heartland. Woodlands, Toa Payoh and Pasir Ris are towns under the scheme's third batch.

Other areas that have come under this programme include Dawson, Yishun and Punggol in 2007, and Hougang, Jurong Lake and East Coast in 2011.

Woodlands' massive makeover will also cater to residents of neighbouring towns - Marsiling, Sembawang and Yishun.

When will Woodlands' transformation start?

Most of the plans will likely be implemented within the next five to 10 years.

The actual implementation timeframe for each proposal will differ from site to site.

How much will the Woodlands' makeover cost?

The HDB said it is still seeking residents' feedback on the plans for the town through its public exhibition, and costs have not been finalised at this point.

How many HDB flats are there in Woodlands today?

There are about 242,600 residents who live in HDB flats in Woodlands. The HDB currently manages 63,779 dwelling units, and the projected ultimate number of flats is expected to swell to 98,000.