Million sq ft Farrer Park site to yield 1,600 HDB flats, sports and recreational facilities; analysts expect strong demand

CONCEPTUAL plans for the redevelopment of Farrer Park will see 1,600 Housing & Development Board (HDB) flats in the new public housing estate with about 20 per cent of the approximately 10-hectare site set aside as open spaces for sports and recreational uses.

Analysts expect strong response to Build-to-Order (BTO) HDB flats there, which are slated to be launched within the next 3 years. 

The redevelopment of this brownfield site will see the estate integrated with comprehensive sports and recreational facilities open to everyone and strengthen the unique identity of Farrer Park as a social and sporting node, said HDB, Sport Singapore (SportSG) and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) in a joint announcement on Monday (Apr 25).

According to the analysts, this is probably the first time sports and recreational facilities and HDB flats will be seamlessly integrated and developed together in a thematic way. 

Christine Sun, senior vice-president of research and analytics at OrangeTee & Tie, said the wide range of sports options offered — on top of the site being at the city fringe and well-served by ample amenities and MRT lines — will likely appeal to young couples and other Singaporeans who are sports enthusiasts.

However, ERA Realty head of research and consultancy, Nicholas Mak, thinks that while the sports facilities “are nice to have”, they are not what will draw purchasers, as almost all HDB estates are close to sports facilities.

“It’s not what will make people forgo the Keppel Club site, which could be more expensive, but offers a seafront setting and two MRT lines, on top of being only about a 10-minute bus or MRT ride from the Central Business District,” he said. “So all things being equal, future HDB flats at the Keppel Club site could be more popular.”

Plans for the 48-hectare Keppel Club site on Singapore's southern waterfront announced 2 weeks ago include about 6,000 public housing flats.

Both Mak and Sun agree that the Farrer Park site would likely fall under the Prime Location Public Housing (PLH) model.

“The first PLH project at Rochor (River Peaks I & II) is located only about 800 metres from the Farrer Park site,” noted Mak. “If the Rochor site can be designated as a PLH project, then the HDB flats at the Farrer Park site should also be under the PLH model.”

Currently, the median price for resale flats in the Kallang/Whampoa area is about S$755,000 in Q1 2022, said Sun. Other than River Peaks I & II, the other new PLH project launched is King George’s Heights nearby.

River Peaks I & II had a price range of S$409,000 to S$474,000 for 3-room flats and S$582,000 to S$688,000 for 4-room units. At King George’s Heights, 3-room flats were priced at S$353,000 to S$462,000, while 4-room units range from S$488,000 to S$675,000.

If the Farrer Park flats are launched as PLH flats, Sun expects they could be sold at around the same price as the two previous PLH projects or slightly higher to take into account inflation, should they be sold a few years down the road. 

“Therefore, 4-room flats in this project may range from S$550,000 to S$700,000 when launched,” she said.

She thinks the overall application rate for this site may exceed 10 if launched as PLH flats and surpass 8 if they are BTO flats. This is because PLH flats may be priced lower to compensate for the longer minimum occupation period — which is 10 years before they can be sold or rented out — and more stringent selling criteria.

However, while Huttons Asia’s senior director (research) Lee Sze Teck thinks the redevelopment plans will rejuvenate the whole Little India area, the possibility of the flats falling under the PLH model is low as “prices in the area have not reached the million dollar mark”.

He estimates that new BTO flats at Farrer Park may see 4-room units priced at S$500,000 and above, with a subscription rate of more than 10. 

Meanwhile, the large price gap between public and private housing in the Farrer Park area will keep the HDB flats attractive, said Sun. 

She noted that the median price of new condominiums in District 8 from Q1 2021 to Q1 2022 is S$1,897 per square foot (psf), while resale condominiums are at S$1,447 psf.

The existing new project, Uptown@ Farrer, is transacting at a median price of S$1,893 psf from Q1 2021 to Q1 2022, while resale projects like Citylights and City Square Residences are transacting at S$1,570 psf and S$1,724 psf, respectively.  

Meanwhile, the indicative price of Piccadilly Grand, which will launch on May 7, is expected to be above S$2,000 psf. The project at nearby Northumberland Road was reported to have drawn a turnout of more than 5,000 at its preview over the weekend.

Bounded by Dorset Road, Keng Lee Road, Hampshire Road and Race Course Road, the Farrer Park site has been earmarked for residential use in the Master Plan since 1998. 

The site has a rich and multi-faceted history, being the location of Singapore’s first racecourse established in 1843. The first flight demonstration in Singapore also took place at this racecourse in 1911.

The area has also been closely associated with Singapore’s sporting heritage since the 1950s, when it served as a training ground for many past and present national athletes, with its cluster of sports facilities such as a track and field stadium, a swimming complex, boxing gym, tennis centre and open field. The field at Farrer Park was also used for social and community activities including football and rugby matches.

In drawing up the redevelopment plans, the agencies have been engaging stakeholders such as Friends of Farrer Park, members of the heritage and the sports community, as well as residents of the surrounding area, to explore ways to retain the sporting identity of the area. 

Taking the feedback into consideration, the agencies have adjusted the plans to capture the rich history and heritage of Farrer Park as a “sporting commons”, and to bring the community closer together through a myriad of sports and recreational activities at these spaces.

The 20 per cent of the site set aside as open spaces for sports and recreational uses will include an approximately 1.2-hectare central green space comprising a field and park, extended via a precinct green. 

The boxing gym — the former training ground for the Singapore Amateur Boxing Association and venue for boxing tournaments — will be retained and converted to a multi-purpose community sporting space. Works to the building will capture the architectural character and retain key features of the building, and it will be integrated within one of the housing developments for residents’ easy access.

Sports facilities will be incorporated within the multi-storey car park in the estate, which will be designed such that the ground floor can be set aside for sporting activities. This will complement other facilities around the estate such as 3-Generation playgrounds and fitness corners, creating a seamless experience for users.

A jogging track will weave through the entire new housing estate, to connect the various sports and recreational facilities.

A new sports centre will also be built at the same location which will include swimming pools and other sporting facilities.

This is because while it was mentioned at the 2019 Draft Master Plan Exhibition that the Farrer Park Swimming Complex would be retained, further detailed studies have led to the agencies’ assessment that it is not feasible to retain the swimming complex due to various technical considerations.

In particular, the existing pool shows signs of listing (indicative of ground settlement issues) and the pool filtration and underground piping system are dated and in need of complete overhaul, making refurbishment not cost-effective. 

Besides sports facilities, future residents will also enjoy a wide range of amenities within and beyond the site. These include new commercial and social communal facilities in the housing developments, such as precinct shops and a childcare centre, to meet residents’ daily needs.