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(Photo: The Straits Times) No effort was spared to maintain the area's ecological balance, so the old trees still stand tall and proud at SkyVille@Dawson, completed last year.
When retired auditor Ahmad Zulfakar moves from Tanglin Halt to the new Dawson estate in Queenstown four years from now, he will miss his current patch of green.
The wild "greenway", site of the now-defunct Malaysian railway, snaking behind his home now is where he takes walks and has a herb and banana tree garden.
But plans are afoot to make the move as seamless as possible for Mr Ahmad, 40, and his neighbours.
Dawson will offer park-like surroundings, with thousands of trees and a pedestrian street. Many residents will come from Tanglin Halt, part of HDB's largest Selective En-bloc Redevelopment Scheme.
Landscaping will be done by 2020, revealed the Housing Board last week, in its first masterplan devoted to crafting a town's landscape. Upcoming estates such as Bidadari can expect the same touch.
The Dawson "Housing in a Park" plan will link up its seven housing projects in a series of green spaces and pathways, to form a nature-centric neighbourhood.
SkyVille@Dawson and SkyTerrace@Dawson were finished last year, and five more projects will be done by 2020, adding a further 3,500 households. In all, the estate will have 5000 households.
(Photo: The Straits Times) SkyTerrace@Dawson, also finished last year, forms another key section of the park-like haven envisioned in the masterplan.
HDB's director for landscape and design, Mr Brian Low Lip Chee, said every effort was made to maintain the area's ecological balance. For example, over 60 species of mature trees have been preserved in their original locations. Planners will add a further 4,700 new trees from about 100 species.
HDB consulted arborists on tree protection measures during the design and construction process. Meanwhile, hardy plants needing minimal maintenance are being used to lend a natural feel.
"We've taken a more natural approach instead of having a very manicured garden - trying to mimic nature, in a way," said Mr Low.
HDB is also building a 200m-long eco-corridor on top of an old 10m-wide stretch of Margaret Drive. To be completed in 2020, it will feature a pedestrian street with pockets of seating beneath shady trees, as a homage to the nearby Forest Hill nature catchment area.
The existing Alexandra Canal Linear Park - a 1.3km stretch that weaves through Dawson and is part of the park connector system - will be improved with new playgrounds and storyboards about the estate's history.
Tanglin Halt residents told The Straits Times they are happy to be moving to such a green estate.
But Mr Ahmad still feels a pang. "The neighbours here grow their own chiku and mango, and we used to trade after a harvest. I'll have to adjust when I move. I'll miss this place when it's gone."
Written by Ng Jun Sen for The Straits Times