Chencharu area in Yishun to get new park, integrated development with hawker centre, bus interchange
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By 2040, about 10,000 homes will be built on the 70ha site bounded by Yishun Avenues 1 and 2 and Sembawang Road.
PHOTO: HDB
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SINGAPORE – A colonial-era plantation house in Bukit Sembawang will sit atop a new park, which is among the amenities to be built for the residents of an up-and-coming housing area in Yishun.
Chencharu, bounded by Yishun Avenues 1 and 2 and Sembawang Road, will also have an integrated development comprising a hawker centre, bus interchange, shops and residential units.
Other new amenities planned include an educational institution and nursing home to cater to residents of different age groups, the Housing Board said on June 12.
Chencharu was made up of plantations and farms in the 1900s and was subsequently redeveloped for recreational and commercial uses – it housed plant nurseries and the former Bottle Tree Park, which later became Orto leisure park. The area was identified for residential use in the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s 2019 masterplan.
By 2040, about 10,000 homes will be built on the 70ha site
The first Build-To-Order (BTO) project in Chencharu, comprising 1,270 units, including two-room flexi, three-, four- and five-room flats, will be launched before the end of June
The board said its plans for the area will pay homage to Chencharu’s history and heritage, while incorporating smart and sustainable features into the developments.
Precincts will have convenient public transport links and be connected to recreational spaces to encourage people to walk and cycle as part of their commutes.
At the centre of the estate will be a footpath that connects the new park in the west to the existing neighbourhood park near Khatib MRT station in the east.
A new bus-only road called Chencharu Link will run from the north to the south of the estate to provide “dedicated road space for smoother bus journeys”, HDB said.
There will also be walking and cycling paths that link to neighbouring towns like Sembawang and to recreation nodes such as Khatib Bongsu Nature Park, Lower Seletar Reservoir and the upcoming North-South Corridor.
HDB said the first BTO project in Chencharu will incorporate features of the more than 100-year-old bungalow at 50 Bah Soon Pah Road. The two-storey bungalow, a plantation house built in the early 1910s by Bukit Sembawang Rubber Company, was preserved by the authorities for the new residential area
The first BTO project in Chencharu will incorporate features of the more than 100-year-old bungalow at 50 Bah Soon Pah Road.
PHOTO: HDB
Taking inspiration from the bungalow’s architecture, with its floors raised above ground on masonry piers and columns, the BTO project will have a black outline on the first few storeys and a red, black and white facade that mirrors the colours of the house, it said.
The new park will be built around the bungalow, which will be repurposed for community uses.
HDB said the park, located adjacent to the BTO project, will have playgrounds, fitness corners with exercise equipment, open lawns and hard courts for sports, and a therapeutic garden.
It will also have a heritage trail with a series of gardens and storyboards for residents to learn about the area’s history.
“Together, these features aim to promote social connectedness, active lifestyles and mental wellness among residents,” HDB said.
Two tenants in Lorong Chencharu that were popular with the public, and have to vacate their premises to make way for the new developments, will be relocated to a nearby site adjacent to HomeTeamNS Khatib.
They are Ground-Up Initiative, a non-profit organisation known for its focus on sustainability and community building, and the Live Turtle Museum.
HDB said: “This will not only enable existing community activities in these unique recreational spaces to continue, but also create opportunities to forge strong social bonds with new residents of Chencharu, thereby enhancing the identity of Chencharu as a vibrant contemporary kampung.”
HDB said the homes will also have features that allow for the owners to adopt smart home solutions.
It will implement initiatives such as a smart lighting system – which allows HDB and town councils to monitor lighting in common areas in real time, reducing the need for manual checks – and rainwater harvesting systems, where applicable.
Mr Mohan Sandrasegeran, head of research and data analytics at Singapore Realtors, said he expects firm demand for the first BTO project in Chencharu, given the high application rates for previous launches in Yishun.
Across three BTO projects in Yishun launched in November 2022, there were more than 1,400 applicants vying for the 917 four-room flats, and another 1,400 applicants for 795 five-room units, he noted.
“In addition, the amenities planned for the area are likely to garner positive interest among potential home buyers looking for a self-sufficient town that meets their daily needs and offers convenience,” he said.
