Discover Punggol with new visitors' centre and mobile app - The Straits Times

SINGAPORE - Residents and visitors to Punggol can now learn about the Housing Board town at a new visitors' centre, as well as on a location-based mobile app that displays facts about local landmarks.

Located near Punggol MRT and Waterway Point mall, the three-storey, 400sqm Punggol Discovery Cube officially opens this Sunday (Jan 15).

The ground floor features an interactive model of the town, including upcoming projects. Touchscreens display information on green areas, notable public housing projects, the waterway and more - with the relevant parts of the model lighting up accordingly.

On the second floor, visitors can learn about Punggol's history as a fishing village, its development as an HDB town and its future, with smart initiatives such as the use of digital modelling to plan town layouts with optimal wind flow.

Located next to the new Punggol Town Square, the visitor's centre also overlooks the greenery-lined My Waterway @ Punggol, with views from the third storey.

The Punggol Discovery Cube is open daily except Mondays, from 10am to 8pm. Its outdoor viewing deck on the third storey is open around the clock.

Also being launched on Sunday is a new mobile app called Our Heartland Trails - not just for Punggol, but also for the town of Bedok.

Available for both iOS and Android, the free app features a trail for each town, with landmarks ranging from heritage buildings to favourite food joints.

When a user approaches a certain location, the app will display fun facts, interactive quizzes and games related to that landmark, using GPS tracking.

The trail for Punggol has 27 landmarks including the colonial-era Matilda House dating back to 1902, green haven Coney Island, and seaside dining area Punggol Settlement.

But users can also explore the town without having to be there, as the app's features remain accessible even without location data.

Punggol and Bedok are both being spruced up under the HDB's Remaking Our Heartland programme.

The HDB said it will assess the response to the app for these two towns before deciding whether to extend the app to other towns and estates on the programme, such as Yishun and Dawson.

Janice Heng

PUBLISHED

JAN 13, 2017, 11:33 AM SGT

Source: The Starits Times

Private home prices expected to rise by 3-10% in 2018 - PropertyGuru

Property prices in Singapore could rise at a median rate of 5.5 percent.

Analysts believe Singapore’s private housing market has indeed rebounded, with prices increasing for two straight quarters following a four-year slump.

In fact, a Bloomberg survey of 11 property experts revealed that private residential prices here are forecasted to rise at a median rate of 5.5 percent, or between three percent and 10 percent for the whole of 2018.

Moreover, the market recovery bodes well for the city-state’s home builders, which are set to report their financial statements next month. For instance, City Developments Limited (CDL) is expected to post an annual profit of $563.4 million, while UOL Group’s full-year net income is projected to rise by 9.4 percent.

“Despite the strong run last year, valuations are not yet stretched, particularly in comparison with past periods of a property upcycle,” said Janus Henderson Investors investment analyst Low Xin Yan, adding that the strong performance of property stocks will continue.

Meanwhile, Maybank Kim Eng Securities analyst Derrick Heng reckons that it is “far too early to be worried” over a potential supply glut due to ongoing en bloc sale frenzy, as the homes to be built on such sites won’t enter the market until 2020 at the earliest.

 Romesh Navaratnarajah • January 23, 2018

Romesh Navaratnarajah, Senior Editor at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact him about this or other stories, email romesh@propertyguru.com.sg

Source: PropertyGuru

Masterplan for 'digital district' in Punggol North launched; area to generate up to 28,000 tech jobs - The Straits Times

DPM Teo Chee Hean (centre), Ms Sun Xueling (third left), Mr Yaacob Ibrahim (fourth left), Mr Lawrence Wong (fourth right) and Mr Janil Puthucheary (third right) at the launch of the masterplan for the Punggol Digital District. ST PHOTO TOH YONG CHUAN

SINGAPORE -When its first buildings are ready in five years, Punggol North could become something of a mini Silicon Valley in Singapore - a centre of digital and cybersecurity industries that generates up to 28,000 digital economy jobs.

The masterplan for the 50ha Punggol Digital District was launched on Sunday (Jan 21) by Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean at Waterway Point mall, together with an exhibition on what the district would look like. Speaking at the event, DPM Teo said the plan is to make Punggol “a hub for key growth sectors of the Digital Economy” and that could even involve moving government agencies, such as the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore - currently in Maxwell Road - to the district.

“This will help create a new cluster of cybersecurity and technology firms in Punggol. Our residents can look forward to many exciting jobs in the future close to home.”

The district will also serve as a testbed for a slew of new features and planning practices.

The area will also be car-lite, with infrastructure such as parking spaces located underground. That leaves the streets for pedestrians, cyclists and users of personal mobility devices. It will be connected to other parts of Singapore by a host of new transport infrastructure, including the new Punggol Coast MRT station.

The Singapore Institute of Technology’s (SIT) new campus will also be in the district, a move that DPM Teo said would create opportunities for students and faculty to exchange ideas with industry practitioners working there.

The Punggol Digital District is a pilot project for what is being termed an “enterprise district”, with the authorities studying if this model can be applied to other areas in the future.

The masterplan for the 50ha Punggol Digital District was launched by Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean at Waterway Point mall, together with an exhibition on what the district would look like. ST PHOTO: TOH YONG CHUAN

JTC Corporation, which is working with SIT to develop the area, hopes to attract tech-centric enterprises specialising in areas such as cyber security and artificial intelligence to set up shop there. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong first mentioned the plans for developing Punggol North during his 2015 National Day Rally speech.

More details - such as more flexible land use rules for the new district - were later revealed by National Development Minister Lawrence Wong in Parliament last year.

Masterplan for 'digital district' in Punggol North launched

The new district is a collaboration among four agencies - the Urban Redevelopment Authority, Infocomm Media Development Authority, JTC and SIT.

ST_20170308_VNPUNGGOL_2990341.jpg

Related Story

Punggol North to be 'enterprise district' with new urban concepts

They envision a cluster of buildings managed by centralised systems which would handle waste collection, cooling and logistics for the whole area. It could even be cooled by "smart" thermostats which can detect changes outdoors and adjust the temperature indoors accordingly.

Flanking the area will be Housing Board flats, such as the upcoming Northshore Edge development, which is slated to be completed in 2021.

Mr David Tan, who is assistant chief executive officer at JTC, said that it will be applying lessons it has learnt from other developments it has been involved in. This includes striking the right balance between work and leisure spaces, and even how closely spaced the buildings are.

The Punggol Digital District is a pilot project for what is being termed an "enterprise district", with the authorities studying if this model can be applied to other areas in the future. PHOTO: IMDA, JTC, SIT, URA

For example, buildings at the International Business Park are "very standalone" compared with those in one-north, said Mr Tan. Both developments are operated by JTC. "At one-north, the buildings are much closer together and so you have more interaction," he said.

Ms Lam Lee Choo, who has lived in Punggol for 11 years, said that the transformation plan will appeal to residents.

"The Punggol residents are generally young. They will welcome the use of technology that improves their lives," said the 52-year-old housewife, who is also a grassroots leader.

"An area that they will look forward to is the use of technology to deliver government services, so that they don't have to visit the government offices," she added.

Source: The Straits Times (21 Jan 2018)

HDB RESALE PORTAL – INTENT TO BUY/ SELL - FAQ - HDB

Register Intent

Q1: I have submitted the Seller’s Resale Checklist and it is still valid as at 1 Jan 2018.  Is there a need to for me to register an ‘Intent to Sell’?

A1 : No. However, you need to wait out the 7 days cooling-off period from the date of submission of the Seller's Resale Checklist, before granting an OTP.

Q2: I have done the Seller’s Resale Checklist more than six months ago and it has expired. I still want to sell my flat. What do I do next?

A2 : From 1 Jan 2018 onwards, you will need to register an Intent to Sell in the HDB Resale Portal. If there are more than one owner in your flat, only one of you need to login to the HDB Resale Portal to register the Intent to Sell. Thereafter, you need to wait out the 7-day cooling-off period before granting an OTP to the buyers.

Q3: I have submitted the Buyer’s Resale Checklist before 1 Jan 2018.  Is there a need to for me to register an ‘Intent to Buy’ before sellers grant me an OTP on or after 1 Jan 2018?

A3 : No. There is no need for you to register an Intent to Buy if you have a valid Buyer's Resale Checklist.

Q4: The sellers want to grant me an OTP on or after 1 Jan 2018, but I have not done the Buyer's Resale Checklist. What do I do?

A4 : Before the sellers grant you the OTP:

(a) You need to register an Intent to Buy in the HDB Resale Portal. If there are more than one buyer of the flat, only one of you need to login to the HDB Resale Portal to register Intent to Buy.
(b) If you intend to take an HDB housing loan for your flat purchase, you need to have a valid HDB Loan Eligibility Letter.  

Q5: The sellers grant me an OTP before 1 Jan 2018. I want to exercise the OTP on or after 1 Jan 2018, but I have not done the Buyer's Resale Checklist. What do I do?

A5 : Before you exercise the OTP:

(a) You need to register an Intent to Buy in the HDB Resale Portal. If there are more than one buyer of the flat, only one of you need to login to the HDB Resale Portal to register the Intent to Buy.
(b) If you intend to take a home loan for your flat purchase, you need to have a valid HDB Loan Eligibility Letter or a FI's Letter of Offer.

Q6: My salesperson has submitted the Resale Checklist for me but I did not endorse it by 31 Dec 2017. What do I do?

A6 : As you did not endorse the resale checklist by 31 Dec 2017, the resale checklist is not considered as completed and submitted. If you are a seller, you have to register an Intent to Sell in the HDB Resale Portal, and wait out the 7-day cooling-off period before granting an OTP to the buyers. If you are a buyer, you have to register an Intent to Buy in the HDB Resale Portal before sellers grant you an OTP.

Q7: After registering my Intent to Buy, I am guided to apply for an HDB Loan Eligibility (HLE) letter if I am getting an HDB housing loan. What if I want to get a loan from a FI? When must I have the HLE letter or FI's Letter of Offer (LO)?

A7 : From 1 Jan 2018 onwards, the sellers can grant you an OTP only after you have obtained a valid HLE letter from HDB. If you intend to get a home loan from a FI, you must have a valid LO before you exercise the OTP.

Request for Value

Q8: I have submitted a Request for Value. Where can I view the status of my request?

A8 : You can view the status via the HDB Resale Portal.

Q9: I am submitting a valuation request on 1 Jan 2018 for my transaction which was contracted on or before 31 Dec 2017. I note that I have to pay higher valuation fees. Why is that so?

A9 : For buyers who were granted an option on or before 31 Dec 2017, HDB will send such cases to the HDB's Panel of Valuers for a valuation. Buyers will have to pay $226.00 (3-room and larger flats) or $156.45 (1-/2-room flats) for the valuation.

For cases where flat sellers grant an OTP on or after 1 Jan 2018, the buyers who intend to finance the purchase of the flat using their CPF monies or a home loan must submit a request to HDB to confirm the value which forms the basis for home loan and CPF usage. The processing fee for the request is $120 (inclusive of GST). HDB will send them an email once the value is ready. Buyers can also check the status via the HDB Resale Portal.

Submit Resale Application

Q10: What is considered a complete resale application?

A10 : Flat sellers and buyers will have to submit their portions of the resale application separately. If you are the first party who has submitted your portion of the application, you should inform the second party so that he can submit his portion within seven days. The resale application will only be considered complete when HDB receives both portions of the resale application from flat seller and buyer.  

 

Q11: I am the second party who is doing my submission of resale application. After keying the OTP details, an error message "The information provided by buyers and sellers are different." popped up. I am then not able to proceed with the submission of my resale application. What is the problem?

A11 : The system will match the following information (Flat address, Resale Price, Option Fee, Deposit, Option Grant Date, Option Exercise Fee, OTP Serial No.) provided by the flat seller and buyer in their separate applications. Both flat seller and buyer have to provide consistent information relating to the resale transaction. If the second party receives the above error message, it means that the information provided by the second party does not tally with that provided by the first party. To proceed, please refer to the OTP that both parties have executed and check the information provided. In situation where the error is caused by the first party, you will have to inform HDB. You may contact our Customer Relations Executive at 6490 3626 (Mon - Fri from 8:30am to 5:30pm) to seek assistance for your submission of the resale application.

Q12: I am in the midst of filling up the resale application form and I realised that I do not have some of the information (such as spouse's income etc.) or documents (such as Divorce Certificate etc.) required. What can I do?

A12 : There is an option to allow you to save the application as draft (Save as Draft). You may then complete the application later for submission. The draft application will be saved for two weeks.

Q13: How do I submit a pair of contra case via the HDB Resale Portal?

A13 : For contra cases, there are 3 parties involved. Pls refer to the illustration below. 
As the contra party, Mr Koh will have to submit 2 sets of application; an application to sell his flat A and an application to buy flat B. The applications will have to be submitted separately.

In both applications, Mr Koh has to indicate that he is applying for "contra" and to provide the contra flat address.

	Mr Koh must indicate "contra" in his application & addresses of the flats he is selling & buying.
	Mr Tan & Mr Lim need NOT indicate "contra" in their applications.

All portions of the applications (by the 3 parties) have to be submitted within 7 days.

Q14: How do I submit application to buy Two Adjoining Flats under Conversion Scheme via the HDB Resale Portal?

A14 : Pls refer to the illustration below.

	Mr Koh must indicate "Buying adjoining flat under Conversion Scheme >> Two adjoining flats" in his application & key in the 2 flats addresses that he intends to buy.
	Mr Tan & Mr Lim need NOT indicate "conversion" in their application.

  

Q15: I have engaged the services of a salesperson. Can my salesperson submit the resale application and Request for Value on my behalf?

A15 : Yes. The salespersons can continue submitting a resale application and Request for Value via the e-Resale e-Service or Estate Agent Toolkit (for agencies which are subscribers).

Q16: Where can I view the status of my resale application?

A16 : You can view the status via the HDB Resale Portal.

Q17: How is the date of acceptance of resale application determined?

A17 : Once we have received the complete resale application from the flat sellers and buyers, we will verify the eligibility for sale/purchase and review the supporting documents submitted. If the application is in order, we will notify sellers and buyers of the acceptance of the application via SMS/emails, and post the application progress update in the HDB Resale Portal. The date of HDB's acceptance of the resale application marks the beginning of the 8 weeks processing time of the transaction.

Q18: How is the completion date determined?

A18 : The completion date is tentatively scheduled 8 weeks from the date of HDB's acceptance of the resale application. This date will be indicated in the letter of HDB's acceptance of the resale application. The sellers or the buyers may jointly decide to change the completion date and request HDB to make the change.

Acknowledge Resale Documents by Buyers 

Q19: With the removal of first appointment, how is HDB going to explain the financing details of my flat purchase to me?

A19 : The financial plan has been simplified. We will rely on the financing information provided by you in the resale application and draft a financial plan for your endorsement. It will be deposited on the HDB Resale Portal. You will need to log in to the HDB Resale Portal to endorse the financial plan.    

Q20: If I want to make changes to the draft financial plan, how can I do it?

A20 : You can revise your financial plan on the HDB Resale Portal, and endorse the revised financial plan.

Q21: What is the sequence of activities that I need to complete once the CRM has deposited the draft financial plan and resale documents in the HDB Resale Portal?

A21 : After the CRM has deposited the draft financial plan and documents on the HDB Resale Portal, you will need to endorse the financial plan and the CPF e-withdrawal, and fill up the Health Declaration Forms (HPS) if you need to apply for the CPF Board's Home Protection Insurance Scheme. Next, you will endorse the resale documents and make the necessary payments.

Acknowledge Resale Documents by Sellers 

Q22: With the removal of first appointment, how is HDB going to explain the details of the sale proceeds calculation to me?

A22 : The sale proceeds is calculated based on the resale price less the financial obligations you need to discharge, such as the outstanding home loan, CPF refund, etc. We will rely on the financial information provided by you in the resale application and compute the sale proceeds for you. The computation will be deposited in the HDB Resale Portal. You will need to log in to the HDB Resale Portal to endorse the sale proceeds calculation.     

Endorse Documents

Q23: Do I have to sign on the resale documents uploaded for my endorsement? 

A23 : No. We wil prepare the resale documents and deposit them in the HDB Resale Portal. You will endorse the resale documents online.

Q24: How will I be notified that the draft financial plan (or for sellers, the sale proceeds calculation) and resale documents are ready for my endorsement? 

A24 : An SMS will be sent to your mobile number registered with us, to inform you that the draft financial plan is ready for your endorsement. An email will also be sent to you if you have given us your email address.

Q25: If I have questions on the draft financial plan (sale proceeds calculation) or the resale documents, who can I contact to seek clarifications? 

A25 : You can contact the Customer Relations Manager (CRM) in charge of your application for clarifications. The CRM's details are provided on the HDB Resale Portal.

Q26: What must I do before I endorse the documents? 

A26 : You will need to read through the documents before endorsing them. As the documents are in pdf format, you can save a copy for reference.

Q27: The flat is bought (sold) with 3 other buyers (sellers). Are they required to endorse the documents as well?

A27 : Yes, the documents must be endorsed individually by all the buyers (sellers). The endorsement is sequenced based on the buyers' (sellers') information provided in the resale application. The HDB Resale Portal will also indicate the status of the whole endorsement process.

Q28: Are the Administrators and Executors able to endorse the resale documents on the HDB Resale Portal?

A28 : As long as the Administrators and Executors have a valid SingPass, they too can endorse the resale documents on the HDB Resale Portal.

Q29: What is the timeframe for me to endorse the proposed financial plan (sale proceeds calculation) and resale documents?

A29: You will be given 6 calendar days to endorse the draft financial plan (or sale proceeds calculation) and resale documents. We will send you an SMS indicating when you must complete the process.  

Q30: What happens if I have overlooked it and missed the 6 calendar days' deadline?

A30: We will send an SMS to remind you and give you 2 more calendar days to do it. We will also inform the other party (i.e. your sellers or buyers) of the extended deadline via SMS and email. If the documents are not endorsed, we will postpone the resale completion date.

Q31: What will happen if the other party fails to endorse the resale documents after the expiry of the extended deadline?

A31: Should any party fail to endorse the documents within the extended deadline, the resale completion date has to be revised. Our CRM will inform the sellers and buyers through SMS and email of the revised completion date.   

Payment

Q32: What about the payments such as conveyancing, title search and caveat fees that I need to make for my flat purchase?
What about the payments such as conveyancing and registration fees that I need to make for the sale of my flat? 

A32: You can make the payments online by using your Visa and Mastercard credit card. You will be directed by the HDB Resale Portal to make the payments once you have endorsed all the documents.

Resale Approval

Q33: I am taking a home loan from a FI to finance the flat purchase. My solicitors have informed me that they need the resale approval letter for the preparation of the legal documents. When can I expect to receive the approval letter?    

A33: You will receive the resale approval letter within 2 weeks after HDB's acceptance of the resale application. We will notify you via SMS and email.

Q34: I am taking an HDB housing loan to finance the flat purchase, when can I expect to receive the resale approval letter? 

A34: You will receive the resale approval letter within 4 weeks after HDB's acceptance of the resale application. We will notify you via SMS and email.

Q35: If I have applied for the CPF Housing Grant, will the grant approval be issued at the same time as the resale approval?

A35: As there are additional checks involved in the processing of CPF Housing Grants, the grant approval may be issued with or after the resale approval.   

Q36: How will I be notified that my resale application has been approved by HDB? 

A36: We will send an SMS and email to inform the sellers and buyers once the resale application is approved. The approval letter will also be available on the HDB Resale Portal.

Resale Completion

Q37: How will I be notified that my resale completion has been scheduled? 

A37: We will send an SMS to inform the sellers and buyers once the resale completion is scheduled. The completion date and time will also be available on the HDB Resale Portal.

Q38: I need to make balance payment on the completion day. How do I make this payment? 

A38: The payment advice will be made available on the HDB Resale Portal. You will need to print a copy and bring it along for payment before you meet up with our CRM.

Q39: Do I need to attend the resale completion appointment? 

A39: If you have appointed HDB to act for you, you will need to attend the resale completion appointment personally.

Q40: What do I do if i am unable to attend the resale completion appointment? 

A40: If you are unable to attend the resale completion appointment, you can contact our CRM who will advise you accordingly.

Source: HDB (20-Jan-2018)

New HDB resale portal to go live on Jan 1 - Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE: Starting from Monday (Jan 1), all new resale transactions would have to be submitted through a new Housing and Development Board (HDB) resale portal.

The portal, which goes live at 1pm, could see the time taken to complete a resale transaction cut by half. Currently, a resale transaction takes about 16 weeks and requires two appointments with HDB.

The move to streamline the resale process comes at a time when HDB is seeing more people performing property transactions without the help of an agent.

HDB said in 2010, about one in 10 people completed property transactions by themselves, without using an agent. The ratio rose to almost three in 10 people for the first half of this year. 

The initiative by HDB was lauded by a group of homeowners and property agents who were given a preview of the portal ahead of the launch. They described the portal as fast and easy-to-use.

Mr Xavier Chia, 31, a customer service officer said: “It’s convenient. So I don't really have to make appointments … if all the documentation is something I can do at my end, then I would have the freedom of time to actually do it at my own convenience.”

Mr Chia, who bought a new four-room flat in Boon Keng last December, added that the portal has made the resale process more “straightforward”, as he no longer has to access multiple e-services platforms on HDB’s website to conduct eligibility checks.

Another homeowner, Mr Randy Goh, said when he bought his Punggol flat earlier this year, it was difficult to find a common time with the seller to attend the first appointment with HDB together.

The 28-year-old sales executive said he and his wife had to take time off work to attend the appointment, which was simply to work out the seller’s sale proceeds and assess his financial plan.

But now, such eligibility checks would be integrated into the new portal. Both buyer and seller would only need to attend one appointment with HDB to complete the resale transaction by signing on the necessary documents.

IMPROVEMENTS CAN BE MADE

While the portal aims to provide greater convenience to flat buyers and sellers, Mr Chia and Mr Goh felt the portal would be more user-friendly if there are multiple language settings. Currently, it is only available in English.

The portal which requires all administrative fees to be paid online via a credit card, or NETS, could also become an issue for the elderly who may not know how to make payments online, said Mr Goh.

But HDB said those who are unable to make payments online could print a payment advice form and make the payment at HDB Hub within three days.

Mr Chia also felt more guidelines could be provided to help users fill up the online forms.

“While (the portal) lists the documents required, (it) may not necessarily guide users how they can fill it up,” he said. “If I have any questions … it will still lead me to call HDB, or make a visit to enquire more, or seek professional help from agents."

LESS PAPERWORK FOR AGENTS

Mr Nelson Lim, key executive officer of C&H Properties, said he believes the streamlined resale process will be well-received by agents as it reduces the amount of paperwork a property agent has to complete on behalf of their client.

But that does not mean agents will be made redundant, added ERA Realty Network’s key executive officer Eugene Lim.

Mr Eugene Lim said: “The admin part of the process is just a small part of the agent’s job. The agent is paid … to find the buyer who will pay the highest possible price for the resale property. It doesn’t match the seller, and someone who wants to buy a house, together. It is just an admin portal to facilitate what the (buyer or) seller needs to know, do, and execute."

Channel NewsAsia understands that the new portal allows property agents to submit the forms on their clients’ behalf.

However, some homeowners Channel NewsAsia spoke to said that with the convenience provided by the portal, they are likely to go agent-free in the future.

Source: CNA/mz
31 Dec 2017 01:12PM

By Rachel Phua


Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/new-hdb-resale-portal-to-go-live-on-jan-1-9822898

Singapore's baby town Punggol: Some interesting things to know about other URA planning areas - The Straits Times

A waterfront oasis at Waterway Point. PHOTO: FRASER CENTREPOINT MALLS

SINGAPORE - One in 10 people living in Punggol is under the age of four, and it has recently been dubbed Singapore's baby town.

Punggol is one of Singapore's oldest inhabited areas, dating back to almost 200 years before the arrival of the British. Early inhabitants of Punggol were engaged mainly in fishing. Later on, residents carried out poultry and pig farming.

Under the Punggol 21 scheme, the area was transformed into a waterfront town. As of last year, 14,490 of Punggol's 130,000 residents were under the age of four.

To meet the needs of young families in the area, Punggol has over 50 childcare centres, with two more set to open next year.

Here's a look at other URA planning areas.

1. BUKIT MERAH - WITH OLDEST POPULATION

Of the more than 150,000 residents in Bukit Merah, 40,600 are senior citizens above the age of 60. That works out to be at least two in 10 people there are above 60 years old.

Henderson Road in the direction of Tiong Bahru Road, opposite Bukit Merah View Market and Hawker Centre. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO

The planning area includes places like Tiong Bahru, Alexandra and Telok Blangah. The name Bukit Merah means red hill because of the area's reddish soil.

Despite a large number of old Housing Board flats, the Tiong Bahru area is known for its hip cafes and eateries that attract young crowds, and Alexandra has seen numerous condominium developments.

2. BEDOK - MOST POPULATED

Patrons at the Bedok Interchange Hawker Centre at Block 208B, New Upper Changi Road, near Bedok MRT station, on December 20, 2016. PHOTO: ST FILE

Some 287,170 people live in Bedok - which includes areas such as Siglap, Bayshore and Frankel.

It has nearly 20,000 people more than Jurong West, the second most populated area in Singapore.

In the coming years, the population in Bedok is likely to increase further. Earlier this year, The Straits Times reported that there are plans to create a new Bayshore distract that will include 6,000 housing board flats.

3. TENGAH - LEAST POPULATED

An artist's impression of the future Tengah town, which is expected to have about 55,000 homes. PHOTO: MINISTRY OF NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Barring areas like Singapore's Western Islands, the Central Water Catchment area and Changi Bay - which register no residents - Singapore's least populated area is Tengah, with just 10 residents.

But this will soon change - the HDB plans to develop the area. The first flats will be launched in 2018 and it will eventually contain 42,000 new homes - 30,000 units of public housing and 12,000 units of private housing.

4. BIGGEST AND SMALLEST LAND AREAS

Exterior of Singapore Art Museum. PHOTO: SINGAPORE ART MUSEUM 

In terms of land area, the two extremes are not heavily populated.

The Western Water Catchment, with 800 residents, has an area of 69,748,298 sq m, while the smallest planning area - Museum planning area - is just 839,213 sq m. It has 400 residents.

Western Water Catchment houses two reservoirs and one river. Nanyang Technological University is also within its boundary.

The Museum planning area comprises Bras Basah, Dhoby Ghaut and Fort Canning. There are at least four museums in the area, including the National Museum and the Singapore Art Museum.

Sources: Department of Statistics, HDB website, Data.gov.sg, URA website, GoogleMaps

Abigail Ng WY

PUBLISHED

JUN 9, 2017, 7:00 PM SGT

Source: The Straits Times