Turf City’s first housing plots are being prepped for development 

THE first housing estate in Turf City is being readied for development, according to an update on the website of the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) on Friday (Oct 18). 

The two parcels of land will be bound by Dunearn Road and are near the Swiss Club Road Good-Class Bungalow Area.

“The proposed amendments are to initiate the development of Bukit Timah Turf City to support near-term demand for housing in central locations, starting with areas closer to existing transport nodes along Dunearn Road, such as the Sixth Avenue MRT station on the Downtown Line,” said URA. 

A new park will be built between Swiss Club Road and the upcoming housing development. It will “provide easy access for existing and future residents to new amenities and recreational spaces”. 

The two land parcels are expected to be part of Stables Commune, one of four distinctive neighbourhoods proposed for Turf City. The others are Racecourse, Saddle Club Knolls and Tinggi Hills.

The remaining areas of Bukit Timah Turf City will be proposed for rezoning when plans are finalised, URA added. 

One of the Turf City plots is being proposed for rezoning from “residential (subject to detailed planning)” to “residential with commercial use on the first storey”. A gross plot ratio of 1.6 indicates the site will accommodate low-rise housing.

Checks by The Business Times found that the area now includes Bukit Timah Field, the patch of green at the junction of Dunearn Road and Swiss Club Road.

Another smaller land parcel next to it is being proposed for residential use with a higher gross plot ratio of 2.4. 

It is not known if the first two sites will be reserved for public housing and when the flats will be launched, or if they will be released for sale to developers for private residential projects.  

Market watchers have mixed views on whether the first projects will be public or private residences.  

Eugene Lim, ERA’s key executive officer, said: “This site (faces) Dunearn Road and is conveniently located within walking distance of the Sixth Avenue MRT station, and is therefore more suitable for public housing.”

The site with the lower plot ratio could better suit private homes, as the gross plot ratio of 1.6 could mean a maximum of 12 storeys, said Christine Sun, chief researcher and strategist at property firm OrangeTee Group.

About 15,000 to 20,000 homes are in the pipeline for the Turf City site, which will include the first public housing blocks planned in Bukit Timah in 40 years. Turf City will be redeveloped progressively over 20 to 30 years. 

Minister for National Development Desmond Lee said that the government envisions Turf City to be an “inclusive and highly accessible estate” when he unveiled plans for the area in May. “This is to meet the growing aspirations among Singaporeans to live closer to their workplaces in the city,” he noted. 

Between 1933 and 1999, Turf City was a popular horse-racing venue, home to the Singapore Turf Club before it moved to Kranji to ease traffic congestion in the area.

The space on the site was leased out to tenants including childcare providers, motor-vehicle dealers, food and beverage outlets and sports facilities until the end of 2023.

On Friday, URA also announced that a reserve site in Amber Road in the East Coast is being proposed for residential use, with a gross plot ratio of 2.5. The 28,966.2 sq m site is right next to Tanjong Katong MRT station and could have sea views.

An 11,212.7 sq m site in Little India is being proposed for intensification for residential use. The site currently houses the Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society. The land parcel, bound by Dorset Road, is surrounded by low-rise apartments such as Suites@Owen, Loft@Rangoon and shophouses. 

“The proposed amendments are to facilitate future residential developments that will support the demand for housing in the area, and allow future residents to tap the site’s proximity to Farrer Park MRT station, as well as amenities in the area,” URA explained.