More BTO flats to be built in new Berlayar estate on former Keppel Club site

SINGAPORE – About 7,000 HDB flats will be built on the site of the former Keppel Club in a new residential area that will be known as Berlayar estate, kick-starting the development of the Greater Southern Waterfront.

The number of flats was increased from the 6,000 units previously announced, following detailed planning studies in the area, the Housing Board said on Sept 23.

The 48ha site, which has been

earmarked for housing

since 2014, will also have 3,000 private homes.

The new estate will be named Berlayar, which means sailing in Malay, in recognition of the area’s landmarks and maritime heritage, National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat said on Sept 23 during the HDB Awards ceremony held at the Resorts World Convention Centre.

A granite rock outcrop in the area, known as Batu Berlayar in Malay, or Sailing Rock, was once prominent, he added. The rock once stood near Berlayar Creek in Labrador Park, and guided maritime traders to Singapore’s shores as early as the 14th century.

“Berlayar will be more than just a housing estate – it will be a vibrant waterfront community where nature, heritage and modern living come together,” Mr Chee said.

The first Build-To-Order (BTO) project in the estate, Berlayar Residences, will be launched in October with 870 units of two-room flexi, three- and four-room flats. The project, which comes under Bukit Merah town, will also have 200 public rental flats.

Located between Telok Blangah and Labrador Park MRT stations, the upcoming development will have blocks between 19 and 46 storeys high.

Its classification as Standard, Plus or Prime flats will be revealed at the launch, HDB said.

Property analysts have said the project could fall under the Prime category, given its location on the city fringe, and is expected to be highly sought after.

Plus and Prime flats, which are closer to the city centre, transport nodes and amenities, come with stricter resale conditions, such as a 10-year minimum occupation period and a subsidy clawback.

Mr Chee said the BTO projects in the Berlayar estate will have staggered heights and be designed so that more units can have views of the coast and the Southern Ridges, which comprise Mount Faber Park, Telok Blangah Hill Park, Kent Ridge Park and Labrador Nature Reserve.

The buildings will also have a white and blue colour palette, mirroring its waterfront location. Motifs of fauna species found in the area, such as the long-winged tomb bat, mangrove horseshoe crab and smooth-coated otter, will be featured in Berlayar Residences’ communal spaces, way-finding signs and playgrounds.

Up to 10ha of the site – equivalent to about 18 football fields – will be set aside for green spaces, Mr Chee said.

Four green corridors, ranging from 30m to 60m wide, will weave through the estate and link residents to the Southern Ridges and Labrador Nature Reserve. Plants that attract biodiversity will be planted along these areas.

Suggestions from an environmental impact assessment (EIA) and engagement sessions with nature groups have been incorporated into the plans for the estate where feasible, HDB said.

An EIA, which was conducted in 2020 to better understand the biodiversity in the area and guide development, had found that the site provides foraging, nesting and ecological connectivity with the Southern Ridges for birds.

In response, the four green corridors have been refined to enhance the connectivity for birds through Berlayar estate, HDB said.

The Central Corridor has been widened to 60m from the original 10m to 50m. The largest of the green corridors, it will stretch from Telok Blangah Road in the north to Berlayar Creek in the south.

Henderson Corridor, which runs from Henderson Road to Bukit Chermin, has been realigned to lead birds towards the forest in Bukit Chermin and Labrador Nature Reserve, and away from high-rise developments.

A knoll, or small hill, in the north-western corner of the site will be retained as several mature trees there serve as a resting and landing point for birds flying over West Coast Highway from the Southern Ridges.

Nature Society Singapore president Leong Kwok Peng said the move to enhance the four green corridors will be beneficial for birds flying through the area.

“The ongoing construction may scare away birds in the short term, but the green corridors will hopefully ensure some will return,” he said.

Residents in the estate will have a mix of amenities within walking distance, such as pre-schools, supermarkets, eateries, shops and clinics.

They can also use amenities in the nearby Telok Blangah estate, which will have a new food centre and market that will be completed by 2027.

Berlayar will be a car-lite estate served by Labrador Park and Telok Blangah MRT stations, both a 10-minute walk from most homes.

All BTO projects will include features such as rain gardens with plants that filter sediments and clean rainwater before it flows into drainage systems, as well as channels called bioswales that treat water run-off. These help to keep Singapore’s water supply clean.

In response to queries on coastal protection, HDB said Berlayar estate will be built on a high elevation of at least 5.2m above sea level, which will provide “sufficient protection from rising sea levels”.

The plans for Berlayar estate will be exhibited at the HDB Hub in Toa Payoh from Sept 24.

The announcement on Sept 23 comes after HDB said earlier in the month that Mount Pleasant, a new estate in Toa Payoh town, will have 6,000 HDB flats, up from the 5,000 units it previously committed to.

The estate’s first BTO project, Mount Pleasant Crest, will also be launched in October. The development will have 1,350 two-room flexi, three- and four-room flats on a site in Thomson Road.

In his speech, Mr Chee said the Government is building more homes around the island at a faster pace to meet housing demand from Singaporeans.

Apart from the Greater Southern Waterfront and Mount Pleasant, more homes will be built in new areas like Woodlands North Coast and Sembawang North, he added.

On Sept 23, 36 projects received awards from HDB for their

achievements in design, construction, engineering and landscape

.