3,000 BTO flats to be built in Dover Forest in Ulu Pandan

Around 3,000 Build-To-Order (BTO) flats will be built in the eastern half of Dover Forest 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 Ulu Pandan Canal and the Holland Grove landed estate.

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

New housing estates such as Ulu Pandan are designed sensitively to minimise the impact on the environment and, where possible, 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 nature and water bodies into the housing landscape, he said at an HDB event held at the HDB Hub in Toa Payoh.

Blocks will have sky terraces 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 and have a terraced rain garden in the estate.

Flat prices and the estimated completion date will be available only when it 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 along the Ulu Pandan Canal to connect the 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 on the 34th storey.

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, which will facilitate wildlife movement, along Ulu Pandan, and improve the canal's 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 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 intended to launch the entire land parcel, colloquially referred to as Dover Forest, for public housing. But the plan was reviewed and revised in July 2021 after a public outcry.

Instead, about 11ha in the eastern half will be developed for public housing projects and the western half will be retained and relooked at in about a decade.

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, but having a mix of block heights will allow more residents to enjoy unblocked views.

Demand will likely be strong, similar to that for previous launches in 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 (prime location public housing) model."