SINGAPORE - A new four-member Sengkang GRC will be formed in the north-east of Singapore for the next general election.

It is the only completely new GRC out of 17 recommended by the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) in a report released on Friday (March 13) afternoon.

The new Sengkang GRC, which will have 117,546 voters, includes parts of the existing Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, as well as the single-seat wards of Punggol East and Sengkang West, which have traditionally been Workers' Party stomping grounds.

The move has been widely anticipated, given that the area's population size has swelled in recent years.

Sengkang West, helmed by Senior Minister of State for Transport and Health Lam Pin Min, has grown to become the largest single-member constituency by voter population. It grew by almost 17 per cent in the past two years due to the influx of young families, and now has 47,891 voters. This far exceeds the upper limit of 38,000 voters set for SMCs.

Nearby Punggol East, led by Mr Charles Chong, has a similar profile. It is also edging closer to the maximum voter capacity with 35,477 voters.

The ward - seen as a tricky one for the ruling People's Action Party - was won by former Workers' Party MP Lee Li Lian after a 2013 by-election, but ceded in 2015. At the time, Mr Chong had won by a thin margin, bagging 51.77 per cent of votes.

The new Sengkang GRC is one of six four-member constituencies recommended by the EBRC in its report.

One of these is Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, which currently has five members but will be downsized.

The others are Chua Chu Kang GRC, Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, Jalan Besar GRC and Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC, all of which currently have four members.