SINGAPORE - Around 3,000 Build-To-Order (BTO) flats will be built in the eastern half of Dover Forest in Ulu Pandan across three housing projects, with the first to be launched in November.

The first project will comprise 1,330 three-room and four-room flats in housing blocks with staggered heights to maximise views of the nearby Ulu Pandan Canal and the Holland Grove landed estate.

The blocks facing Ulu Pandan Canal will be low-rise, while those closer to Commonwealth Avenue West will be high-rise, said the Housing Board on Thursday.

New housing estates such as Ulu Pandan are designed sensitively to minimise impact on the environment and, where possible, to incorporate nature to improve residents' way of living, said Senior Minister of State for National Development Tan Kiat How, who gave details of the project on Thursday.

As part of the new generation of HDB homes, the developments in Ulu Pandan will weave in green and blue elements such as nature and waterbodies into the housing landscape, including retaining a natural stream, said Mr Tan at an HDB event held at the HDB Hub in Toa Payoh.

Blocks will have sky terraces - communal garden spaces provided at the selected level of buildings - and roof gardens.

The project to be launched in November will be within walking distance of Dover MRT station. It will also be the first HDB car-lite precinct.

HDB said the project will have a terraced rain garden in the estate, which has a ground level lower than Commonwealth Avenue West.

More details about the project, such as flat prices and the estimated completion date, will be available only when the project is launched.

The Ulu Pandan housing estate will have about 5ha of greenery, including a 1.2ha park that will retain most of its original flora and fauna and an existing natural stream.

Four trails will be made to encourage residents to lead an active lifestyle, said HDB.

These include a 1.6km trail, which will run along the Ulu Pandan Canal to connect the various precincts, and a 300m therapeutic trail designed with closed-loop paths without dead ends to allow people with dementia and their caregivers to safely and easily navigate the space.

A 600m jogging track will connect three housing blocks via sky bridges at the 34th storey, said HDB.

Other facilities include a range of retail shops and eateries, a supermarket, playgrounds, garden walkways and a community plaza.

HDB said it is also working closely with national water agency PUB and the National Parks Board to establish a green linear corridor, measuring up to 40m wide at some stretches, along Ulu Pandan.

It will serve as an ecological corridor for wildlife moving along Sungei Ulu Pandan, such as the grey heron and Asian softshell turtle - two species considered vulnerable and endangered respectively.

The Ulu Pandan Canal will also be upgraded to improve flood protection.

Located in the mature estate of Queenstown, Ulu Pandan is one of four public housing estates to be zoned as car-lite areas, which are planned with public transport, walking and cycling connections.

In these estates, HDB will reduce the number of carparks in selected precincts to free up space for public facilities and greenery. Parking spaces will be prioritised for residents.

Ulu Pandan has been zoned for residential use in the Urban Redevelopment Authority's Master Plan since 2003.

HDB had originally intended to launch the entire land parcel, colloquially referred to as Dover Forest, for public housing. However, the plan was reviewed and revised in July 2021 following public outcry.

Instead, about 11ha in the eastern half will be developed for public housing projects.

The western half of the site will be retained in the medium term and plans will be relooked in about a decade.

The last BTO project in Queenstown was launched in May and fell under the prime location public housing model (PLH), which comes with stricter buying and selling conditions.

The project, which sits on a site next to Buona Vista MRT station, has 867 three-room and four-room flats across four blocks.

ERA Realty’s head of research and consultancy Nicholas Mak said it would have been more economical for HDB to build every block in the November launch up to its maximum height and thus fit in more units, but having a mix of high- and low-rise blocks will allow more residents to enjoy unblocked views. 

Demand for the project will likely be strong, similar to previous mature estates, he added.

“While 3,000 units may sound like a lot, it isn’t. There are only three BTO projects and these will draw strong demand, whether or not they come under the PLH model.”