Housing sites in Turf City can have up to 700 homes

About 700 homes can be built in the first residential developments in Bukit Timah Turf City, based on proposed plans for two parcels of land in Dunearn Road.

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) is preparing the estimated 3.2ha site near Sixth Avenue MRT station for housing, kick-starting the development of Turf City “to support near-term demand for housing in central locations, starting with areas closer to existing transport nodes along Dunearn Road”.

Proposed amendments to the URA master plan released on Oct 18 show that the larger parcel, estimated at 2ha, could have commercial units on the first storey, while the smaller site is closer to Sixth Avenue MRT station. 

The authority said the residential developments, with their commercial facilities and a new park, will provide current and future residents with new amenities and recreational spaces. The projects also allow more residents to tap the site’s proximity to transport nodes.

The land parcels, which were previously zoned as residential areas that are subject to detailed planning, could have either private or public projects.

Property analysts estimate that the sites – nearly the size of six football fields – could yield 600 to 700 condominium units, or around 500 Housing Board flats.

Ms Christine Sun, chief researcher and strategist at property firm OrangeTee Group, said the sites would likely have private housing as more space may be needed to accommodate a Build-To-Order (BTO) project.

She added that the larger site in particular would be more suited for private homes, as its plot ratio of 1.6 indicates the building height could be “quite low”, at typically a maximum of 12 storeys.

The plot ratio determines the intensity of development permitted for a piece of land.

Mr Lee Sze Teck, senior director of data analytics at real estate firm Huttons Asia, however, said the land parcels could have public housing to make Turf City an inclusive and accessible estate.

URA said the remaining areas of Turf City will be proposed for rezoning when plans are finalised.

About 15,000 to 20,000 public and private homes will be built on the former racecourse site over the next two to three decades.

The HDB flats in Turf City will be the first public housing blocks in Bukit Timah in about 40 years.

The new estate will be car-lite, pedestrian-friendly and well served by public transport, with good walking and cycling connections.

Between 1933 and 1999, Turf City was Singapore’s second racecourse, before the Turf Club relocated to Kranji to ease traffic congestion in Bukit Timah.

The 176ha site has been largely zoned for residential use since URA’s 1998 master plan, and was leased out for interim lifestyle and recreational uses until end-2023.

Over in the Marine Parade area, a reserve site bounded by Amber Road and East Coast Parkway is being proposed for residential use, according to URA’s update on Oct 18. Homes there could have sea views, said analysts.

URA said the 2.89ha site will support the demand for housing in the area and allow future residents to benefit from the newly completed Tanjong Katong MRT station on the Thomson-East Coast Line.

Mr Nicholas Mak, chief research officer of property search portal Mogul.sg, said the site, which has a plot ratio of 2.5, could yield around 450 HDB flats or 550 private apartments.

He added that it is more likely to be a private development as the surrounding residential projects are condominiums.

In Dorset Road in Little India, the plot ratio for an 11,212 sq m land parcel could be raised from 3 to 3.5.

The site, which is currently occupied by the Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society, is about a five-minute walk from Farrer Park MRT station.

Ms Sun said the plot has potential for around 300 HDB flats, or 450 private residential units.

If a BTO project were to be built on the site, it will likely be classified under the Plus category, given its proximity to the train station, she added.

BTO units closer to amenities such as MRT stations and town centres will fall under the Prime and Plus categories, with the new flat classification system rolled out in October.

These flats will come with stricter resale conditions such as a 10-year minimum occupation period and a subsidy clawback.