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​The Draft Master Plan 2019 which was announced last week and  is fast taking shape to take Singapore ahead into a vibrant yet liveable city. 

By Khalil Adis
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View of the URA Draft Master Plan 2019 scaled model at the URA Centre. Photo: Khalil Adis Consultancy.

​A decentralisation strategy to bring jobs closer to homes in the next 10 to 15 years, here are the five growth areas to watch out for:

Woodlands Regional Centre:  Woodlands Central
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Scaled model of Woodlands Central which will be the hub for retail, food & beverage, office and childcare centre. Photo: Khalil Adis Consultancy.

Key highlights:
  • A regional business hub, with office and retail developments conveniently close to new homes
  • Opening of Thomson-East Coast Lines in 2019
  • Woods Square: Integrated office development with retail, F&B and a childcare centre, and direct connectivity to Woodlands MRT station
  • Woodlands Avenue 2: Future mixed-use development with residential, office and retail components seamlessly connected to upcoming Woodlands Thomson-East Coast Line MRT station

Woodlands Regional CentreWoodlands North Coast
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Scaled model of Woodlands North Coast which will be a gateway district to Malaysia. There is a plan for condominium, HDB and flexible industrial spaces here. Photo: Khalil Adis Consultancy.

Key highlights:
  • A gateway district linking Woodlands to Johor Bahru
  • Woodlands North to be an interchange station to RTS Link to Bukit Chagar
  • Flexible industrial spaces for knowledge-intensive and service-oriented activities alongside manufacturing operations.

Punggol Digital District
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Scaled model of the Punggol Digital District. It will be a hub for innovation with industry clusters such as cyber security, artificial intelligence, data analytics and Internet of things. It will also be a transportation hub linking Punggol Coast MRT station to Jurong Lake District and Changi by around 2030 via the Cross Island Line (CRL). Photo: Khalil Adis Consultancy.

Key highlights:
  • A new smart city by 2023
  • Housing technology firms involved in key growth fields as well as the new Singapore Institute of Technology Campus
  • Punggol Digital District will create around 28,000 jobs
  • New Punggol Coast MRT Station 
  • Enhanced connectivity via the Cross Island Line (CRL) which will link it to Jurong Lake District and Changi by around 2030

Paya Lebar Central
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Paya Lebar Central is a transportation hub linking the East West Line and the Circle Line. Graphics: URA.

Key highlights:
  • A bustling commercial centre, with a mix of office, retail, hotel and attractive public spaces
  • 500,000 sqm of commercial floor space
  • Commercial hub to cater to businesses that do not need to be located within the CBD

Jurong Lake District
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Jurong Lake District will be the second CBD in Singapore. Photo: Khalil Adis Consultancy.

Key highlights:
  • Jurong Lake District is the hub for commerce, retail, healthcare and tourism industries
  • Jurong East will be an interchange station to the North South MRT Line, East West MRT Line and the proposed Jurong Region MRT Line
  • Future Jurong Regional Line and High Speed Rail Terminus

Greater Southern Waterfront 
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A new waterfront district will take place linking Keppel Club to Pasir Panjang by 2030. Photo: Khalil Adis Consultancy.

Key highlights:
  • Spans across the southern coastline from Pasir Panjang to Marina East
  • Relocation of Tanjong Pagar Terminals and Pasir Panjang Terminals to Tuas
  • 1,000 ha of land will be freed up for development
  • Total area of the Greater Southern Waterfront will be about 2,000 ha linking Keppel  Club and Sentosa
  • New developments at Pasir Panjang Power District and the Keppel Club site in the next 5 to 10 years
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​A vibrant district is about to take shape over at Woodlands Regional Centre in the next 15 years with enhanced connectivity to Johor Bahru via the Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link. We give you the quick low-down on this gateway district to Singapore.

By Khalil Adis
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Woodlands Regional District will be developed over the next 15 years, according to the Urban Redevelopment Authority. Photo: Khalil Adis Consultancy.

​Living in Woodlands is about to get even more exciting as Woodlands Regional Centre will be developed into a sizeable commercial hub and bring jobs closer to homes in the northern region of Singapore. 

Comprising 100 hectares of land, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) envisages Woodlands Regional Centre to become home to new spaces for industry, research and development, learning and innovation over the next 15 years.

Just last month, the URA released a white site for sale under the reserve list of the second half of 2018 Government Land Sales (GLS) Programme.

A white site means it can be used for different functions such as commercial, residential and industrial.

The sale of the site is especially momentous as it will provide a seamless connection for commuters travelling to Johor Bahru via the RTS Link by 2024 at Woodlands North MRT station before disembarking at Bukit Chagar station.

Here are a few quick facts on the site:

#1: Located next to popular shopping mall, Causeway Point
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Developments are gathering pace next to Causeway Point. Photo: Khalil Adis Consultancy.

​The site is located within Woodlands Regional Centre which comprises two complementary precincts - Woodlands Central and Woodlands North Coast.

The white site itself is located at Woodlands Central which the URA said will be transformed into a bustling commercial and community node with a mix of office, retail, residential and attractive public spaces for live, work and play. 

#2: A vibrant mixed-use site with a GFA of 115,000 m2
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An artist’s impression of the future development at Woodlands Avenue 2. Rendering: Courtesy of the Urban Redevelopment Authority.

The mixed-use site measures 2.75ha and can potentially generate some 115,000 m2 of gross floor area (GFA) for office, residential, retail and entertainment uses.

At least 45,000 m2 of the maximum permissible GFA of the development will be set aside for office use. 

Meanwhile, the URA said the remaining GFA can be for additional office, retail, entertainment and residential uses.

#3: 27,000 households in northern Singapore set to benefit
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An open space next to HDB flats and an industrial area in Woodlands. Photo: Khalil Adis Consultancy.

According to the URA, the new public spaces planned for the precinct can be enjoyed by more than 27,000 households in the vicinity. 

Woodlands Central will also serve as a community gathering point for the residents in Woodlands and the rest of the north region.

#4: Strategically located above the upcoming Woodlands Thomson East Coast Line (TEL) station, (TE2) 
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The site for the Woodlands Thomson East Coast Line at Woodlands Regional Centre. Photo: Khalil Adis Consultancy.

​The site is planned to be seamlessly connected to the existing Woodlands MRT station.

As such, the site will enjoy a direct connection to both the Thomson East Coast Line (TEL) and the North South Line (NSL) via the Woodlands TEL station, (TE2).

From the TE2 station, commuters can hop onto the RTS Link at Woodlands North MRT station located one stop away to Bukit Chagar station in Johor Bahru.

#5: Direct basement connection to TE2 station
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Current construction works that are going on at the Woodlands Thomson East Coast Line (TEL) station, (TE2). Photo: Khalil Adis Consultancy.

The new development will have a direct basement connection to the future Woodlands TEL station, providing shoppers and commuters with easy access to the rest of the stations under the TEL.

This includes the Central Business District, Marina Bay and the shopping, dining and entertainment options at Orchard Road.

#6: 100,000 new jobs
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The white site next to Causeway Point and the current Woodlands MRT station will act as a property booster for residents currently living there. Photo: Khalil Adis Consultancy.

​When fully developed, Woodlands Regional Centre will have about 700,000m2 of commercial space and offer approximately 100,000 new jobs.

#7: Innovation district at Woodlands North Coast
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A map showing planned developments at Woodlands North Coast. Graphics courtesy of HDB.

​Meanwhile, a mixed-use business cluster will be coming up at Woodlands North Coast which will include future industrial and business park spaces.

Woodlands North Coast will be served by the Woodlands North MRT station

The URA has envisioned it to provide flexible workspaces that encourage experimentation and innovation and are geared towards the needs of both small to medium enterprises and multinational companies.

Summary
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HDB resale prices across the board have fallen except for executive flats. Infographics: Khalil Adis Consultancy.

As we can see from the infographics above, prices of HDB resale flats across the board have fallen except for executive flats.

However, the upcoming TEL and developments at Woodlands Regional Centre will act as a property booster for homes in the area.

The opening of Woodlands TEL station and Woodlands North MRT station will be the first property booster followed by the rest of the developments that are being planned.

Homeowners of 3-,  4- and 5-room HDB flats should hold on tight to their properties in the next 15 years before selling.

Meanwhile, it is a good opportunity for home buyers to start their property hunt in Woodlands and wait for the capital appreciation  as Woodlands Regional Centre becomes more mature.

As for the RTS Link, the Malaysian government has remained committed on completing this project.

In fact, this is one of the major infrastructure project that will be carried on under the newly elected Pakatan Harapan government.

For a detailed master plan of Woodlands Regional Centre, do check out the URA site here

Khalil Adis

An independent analysis from yours truly

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