SINGAPORE -Toa Payoh, Woodlands and Pasir Ris are set to get new facilities, more greenery and better connected spaces under the Housing Board's Remaking Our Heartland (ROH) scheme.

The three towns fall under the ROH scheme to spruce up existing public housing estates.

Senior Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee shared these preliminary proposals in Parliament on Monday (April 11).

The proposed changes come after 11 discussion sessions with 400 residents and community stakeholders last year.

Based on these proposals, residents in Woodlands Central can look forward to a new town plaza for large scale community activities, said Mr Lee. Woodlands Waterfront will also undergo more landscaping and have more pocket greens and shaded areas.

Over in Pasir Ris, the town centre will see a new mixed-use development integrated with a new bus interchange and the existing Pasir Ris MRT station. The mixed-use development will house both residential and commercial facilities. Existing parks such as Pasir Ris Park and neighbourhood centres will also get more spaces for recreational activities.

The Toa Payoh town centre will get a revamped pedestrian mall with more greenery, rest areas and covered shopping streets at selected stretches, Mr Lee added. Dedicated cycling paths will also be introduced in the town.

These plans will be implemented within the next five to 10 years after they are approved, said the HDB. It added that the actual implementation timeframe for each proposal will differ from site to site.

In the meantime, public exhibitions on these proposals will be held later this year.

Woodlands, Toa Payoh and Pasir Ris are the third batch of towns under the ROH scheme, which was first introduced in 2007. Other areas under this programme include Dawson, Yishun, Hougang, Jurong Lake, Punggol and East Coast.