What you should know about the Greater Southern Waterfront project

The first HDB Build-to-Order (BTO) flats located at the Keppel Club site in the Greater Southern Waterfront will go on sale within the next three years.

On Tuesday (April 12), the Housing Board said the 48ha site will yield 9,000 new homes, including about 6,000 public housing units.

Here's what you should know about the site:

1. A mix of private and public housing

The Urban Redevelopment Authority said the Keppel Club site will have a mix of public and private housing developments.

Land preparation works for the site will start after Keppel Club moves out.

Its golf course's lease will expire on June 30 this year. This will free up a large part of the site. Meanwhile, its clubhouse has until March 31 next year to clear and reinstate the site.

2. Estate will be car-lite

On Tuesday, National Development Minister Desmond Lee said that given the new estate's central location and its proximity to two MRT stations - Labrador Park and Telok Blangah - the authorities will keep the estate car-lite and enable residents to get around easily by walking or cycling.

Cycling paths will be provided along all roads in the housing precincts, connecting homes to the MRT stations.

The MRT stations will also be connected to the area's green spaces by walking trails.

3. Will it fall under the prime location public housing model?

It is currently unclear if the new flats will fall under the HDB's prime location public housing (PLH) model, though property analysts say the HDB flats offered should fall under the model due to the location.

HDB said that while the Keppel Club site is within the Greater Southern Waterfront, the authorities will consider a range of factors - such as the project's location, attributes and market values - before deciding whether to apply the PLH model.

It added that the model will be applied to selected public housing projects in prime and central locations such as the city centre and surrounding areas, including the Greater Southern Waterfront.

These are areas that have very high market values and would require significant additional subsidies to keep flats affordable, said HDB.

4. Nature-sensitive development

Future housing blocks will be developed in a manner sensitive to the surrounding natural environment. For instance, the housing development will feature staggered building heights that will run lower in areas close to green spaces, giving residents a view of the greenery from their homes.

Future residents can also look forward to landscaped decks and skyrise greenery.

Green roofs will serve as habitats for butterflies and birds.

5. Integrated with parks

A new park will be integrated with the new housing development. At about 7ha, it comprises four green corridors that run around the site's perimeter, as well as between future housing blocks.

Next to the housing estate, another new park will also be developed. The 6.5ha Berlayer Creek Nature Park will comprise the existing Berlayer Creek, as well as a 30m-wide extension on the side of the creek adjacent to the future housing development.

The extension acts as a buffer for the creek's mangrove habitats.

6. Part of wider nature network

The Keppel Club site will be part of the new Labrador Nature Park network, which spans more than 200ha and is centred on Labrador Nature Reserve.

The network comprises four new parks, six existing parks as well as the nature reserve.

One of the new parks, the 2ha Alexandra Nature Park will feature a 500m trail set in a natural forest valley. It will be completed around 2025.

The National Parks Board said that the network's area will also be served by more than 40km of nature trails, park connectors and nature ways, of which about 30km will be new. They will be completed in stages from 2024.