URA readies part of former Tang Dynasty City site for Jurong Lake District housing
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SINGAPORE – A plot of land that was part of the former Tang Dynasty City theme park is being primed for residential use as part of Jurong Lake District – slated to be Singapore’s largest business district outside the city centre.
In a proposed amendment to the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s (URA) masterplan published on June 13, about 4.8ha of a 10ha site near Yuan Ching Road that is zoned for residential use, subject to detailed planning, was assigned a plot ratio of 4.6. A fragment of the 10ha site is proposed for road use.
The remainder of the site was not assigned a plot ratio – a figure that indicates the amount of development permitted for a site.
Property analysts said the 4.8ha plot can yield between 1,800 and 2,600 homes, depending on whether it is used for private or public housing.
In a note accompanying the proposed amendment, URA said the changes “are to facilitate future residential developments to support housing demand and allow more residents to benefit from the site’s proximity to greenery and amenities”.
The public has until June 27 to submit feedback on the proposed amendment to the authorities.
The plot is located within a site that was formerly occupied by Tang Dynasty City, a theme park and film studio that operated from 1992 to 1999.
Tang Dynasty City, which was modelled after the Chinese imperial dynasty’s capital of Chang’an, was demolished between 2008 and 2009.
New homes at the site will sit between Jurong Lake Gardens to the north, and the Ayer Rajah Expressway to the south. Also nearby are St Andrew’s Nursing Home
Several other residential developments either have been built or are planned within the 120ha Jurong Lake District, including condominiums near Jurong East MRT station such as the 738-unit J Gateway, and the upcoming 368-unit J’den
Also in the pipeline are The LakeGarden Residences
Citing both these condominiums, OrangeTee & Tie chief executive Justin Quek said the 4.8ha plot will likely be used for private homes.
He estimates that some 2,600 units can be built on the site.
Noting that Jurong East and Jurong West have many HDB flat dwellers, and given the expected shift of employment opportunities to the west, new homes in the area will attract couples and families looking for an upgrade, he said, adding that some could also be attracted for work-related reasons.
He highlighted that much of Jurong Lake District’s development has thus far been centred on Jurong East MRT station – including a 6.5ha master developer site that has drawn two bids
The planned development of the 4.8ha plot near Yuan Ching Road – separated from Jurong East by Jurong Lake – means it could serve as a commercial centre for this part of the district, and the nearby central areas of Jurong, he said.
Mr Nicholas Mak, chief research officer at property search portal Mogul.sg, said about 1,850 to 2,000 HDB flats can be built on the 4.8ha plot.
If used for public housing, he said it is likely that HDB will cater for retail, as well as food and beverage amenities, within the plot, which will result in a lower flat yield.
He added that the 4.8ha plot is large enough to be divided into three to four sites under the Government Land Sales programme for condominium developments.
Noting that the entire plot can yield about 2,550 to 2,600 condominium units, Mr Mak said property developers will be unlikely to want to undertake such a large project, and would prefer a smaller site to work with.
Referencing the entire 10ha site, he said that there is enough land for a mix of housing types in the area.
Up to 40 per cent of it could be used for condominiums, he said, with the remainder set aside for HDB flats and 5 per cent for amenities.
Mr Mohan Sandrasegeran, head of research and data analytics at Singapore Realtors, said the forthcoming increase in homes in the area is timely, “especially in (the) light of the ongoing transformations within the Jurong Lake District”.
Referencing the 6.5ha master developer site, where at least 600 private homes will have to be built, he said having public housing in the 4.8ha plot “aligns with the authorities’ broader strategy to ensure a balanced social mix across all towns”.
