Residents raise concerns over vacant shops at Northshore Plaza; HDB adjusts rents to support tenants

SINGAPORE – When a nail salon at Punggol’s Northshore Plaza I closed suddenly in December 2025, resident Linda Chen was concerned as she had about $900 in credits remaining at the outlet.

But Ms Chen, a nurse, said she was not surprised. Some shops at the HDB neighbourhood mall had been left vacant for a prolonged period, leaving residents like her concerned about the vibrancy of the mall.

“We kept seeing more and more shops closing and remaining empty for a long time,” said the 35-year-old, who lives in a five-room flat at Northshore Residences I, which is located directly above Northshore Plaza I.

When The Straits Times visited Northshore Plaza I and II in March and April, the unit occupied by the nail salon, Minutiae, was still vacant. Two adjacent units, which used to be occupied by a massage establishment, were also empty.

In all, 12 retail spaces out of about 50 were vacant across both sections of the mall, with staff saying some had remained empty for periods lasting several months to more than a year. The mall opened in 2021.

While patrons said the mall became more popular as more residents moved into the neighbourhood, some businesses attributed the slow footfall at the plaza in recent times to the opening of Punggol Coast Mall.

A staff member at a bakery, who declined to be named, said footfall at Northshore Plaza fell about 30 per cent after Punggol Coast Mall opened in 2025.

“You still have people coming for Decathlon and McDonald’s, but other shops are not doing as well,” she said.

In response to ST’s queries, the Housing Board said that of the 12 vacant shops, two are undergoing renovation and will start operating soon. The board is at “various stages of securing new tenants” for the remaining units.

HDB also said it adjusted rents in response to feedback from tenants. About 40 tenants that renewed their leases are paying rents about 10 per cent to 30 per cent lower than their original bids, it added.

Another resident, Mr Nicholas Foo, said at least four food and beverage outlets shuttered in the past year, including hotpot chain Haidilao, Qi Ji eatery, Sixth Floor Oyster Cake and Fun Toast.

The 33-year-old consultant added that while there are other options like the foodcourt, “it’s not pleasant” to see shops boarded up.

Ms Chen bought a package at the nail salon for about $3,000 in 2021 and renewed it around two years ago.

“I sensed the business was not doing well so I was trying to use up my credits as quickly as I could, even bringing my husband with me,” she said. “The prices they were charging were not cheap as well.”

Checks showed that the nail salon’s second-floor unit was awarded to Mary Chia Beauty & Slimming Specialist, which owns Minutiae, in March 2021 at $7,084 a month.

Other tenants’ tendered rent ranged between $4,000 and $75,000, according to HDB tender documents.

Although the shuttered nail salon transferred her remaining credits to another outlet in Serangoon, Ms Chen was shocked to find out the shop provided only facial and slimming services.

“Even though I had to sign another package to use the credits, I am just glad my money didn’t disappear,” she said.

Minutiae and Mary Chia Beauty & Slimming Specialist did not respond when contacted for comment.

HDB said that under a staggered rent arrangement, Northshore Plaza tenants paid no rent in the first year, followed by discounted rents in the second and third years.

Tenants were meant to pay the full rent in their fourth year upon lease renewal, but HDB said it took into consideration feedback from tenants who were facing difficulties, and adjusted the rent to the prevailing market rate determined by independent valuers.

“As a result, most tenants saw modest rent increases of less than 10 per cent compared with what they had been paying, and four tenants had their rents reduced,” it said.

It also capped the rental increase for the first year of lease renewal at 10 per cent for tenants facing larger hikes.

The adjusted rent means about 40 tenants that renewed their leases are paying lower rents than their original tendered rent.

Among those that had their rents reduced was Pinnacle Family Clinic.

Dr Mok Boon Rui, the clinic’s founder, said the reduction from its initial tendered rent of $16,700 a month to $15,000 was helpful, as the clinic saw a 10 per cent to 20 per cent drop in patients in 2025.

This was after the opening of Punggol Coast Mall, which is linked to Punggol Coast MRT station.

“For some time, we were the only clinic serving the residents here and were doing well, but now we are faced with competition from the new mall,” Dr Mok said, adding that the clinic is also dealing with rising operating costs.

Asked about Northshore Plaza, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, who oversees the Punggol North area in Punggol GRC, said: “We will continue to work with HDB to take into consideration residents’ feedback on the tenant mix, to ensure that there is a good variety of shops at Northshore Plaza.”

More community events will also be organised at the mall’s atrium, which will help to increase footfall, he added.

HDB said it will continue to refine the tenant mix at Northshore Plaza, and support shops by holding promotional events.

Homemaker Nur Safiyah, 40, who visits the mall to buy groceries twice a week, said she hopes to see more affordable food options, as several meals in the foodcourt are priced above $5.

“There are cheaper meals at nearby coffee shops,” she said.