HDB BTO August 2020 launch: Tengah, Choa Chu Kang and Woodlands

Spending so much time at home with
your parents during the circuit breaker might have strengthened your
resolve to get your own place. Well, with a bumper crop of BTO launches
coming up, it’s time to get your ballot on.

The new launches originally scheduled for May have been postponed to August 2020, so there’s more than usual to choose from.

With so many new launches to cover, we’ve split August’s BTO crop into two articles. In this one, we’ll have a look at launches in non-mature estates and the ones in mature estates in a separate piece later on.

As is often the case with non-mature estates, the new launches are in ulu areas. Of the three, Tengah is the most conveniently located, but at more than 20 minutes’ walk from the nearest MRT station, it’s still going to mean a long journey to the CBD.

The bottom line is, if you’re looking for a convenient location that’s well-connected to the CBD, these BTO projects are not for you. But if you’re just looking for an affordable place, read on.

HDB BTO launch August 2020 overview – non-mature estates

Prices are based on SRX’s HDB BTO pricing estimates. The actual prices will be released later. 

To be honest, none of the three non-mature estates in August’s BTO offerings are very attractive. But they make up for it by being quite cheap.

Where the heck is Tengah, you might ask? I had to google it too. It’s a pocket of land in the northwest of the Bukit Batok area.

Read More: HDB November BTO 2022 Review

In 2016, the government announced plans to turn Tengah into an estate the size of Bishan, with Singapore’s first car-free town centre, lots of green spaces and new MRT stations. But such development is going to take time and will mean many years living in an area with less-than-stellar amenities and extensive ongoing construction.

The upcoming Tengah BTO exercise will see 2-room flexi flats, 3-room, 4-room and 5-room units up for grabs.

Woodlands, while not really an up and coming new town, is set to benefit from plans to develop it into a hub in the north of Singapore, with new residences, recreational and business facilities.

There are actually two upcoming
projects in Woodlands. The first is a 1,770-unit project consisting of
2-room flexi, 3-room, 4-room and 5-room flats, located right next to
Woodlands MRT.

The second, much smaller 340-unit
project consists of 2-room flexi flats and 4-room flats, and is located a
stone’s throw from the Woodlands South MRT station.

Choa Chu Kang isn’t much more
convenient than Woodlands, but it does have the benefit of having decent
amenities since it’s already an established residential area.

The Choa Chu Kang project consists of
570 units of 2-room flexi, 3-room and 4-room flats. It’s a relatively
small development, and due to the absence of 5-room flats, might not be
suitable for those anticipating larger families.

Choa Chu Kang BTO (Aug 2020)

This neighbourhood in the busy
northwest is one of the more established non-mature estates in
Singapore. That means it has the advantage of decent amenities while
still being a rather peaceful area.

The Choa Chu Kang area boasts pretty
affordable property prices and thanks to its proximity area’s main mall
Lot One, and nearby malls in Upper Bukit Timah like Hillion Mall and
HillV2, residents have a variety of shopping options. 

Lot One is connected to Choa Chu Kang MRT and also houses the Choa Chu Kang Public Library (closed for renovations until 2021).

Over the past five years, Choa Chu Kang has undergone extensive upgrading. One of the most interesting additions has been the new cycling path network. The amount of green space in Choa Chu Kang is another plus, with Choa Chu Kang Park and the scenic Pang Sua Park Connector not so far away.

The biggest disadvantage of living here is how far the new HDB is from everything else. The BTO project is a good 1.6km away from Choa Chu Kang MRT, and as anyone who lives in the area will tell you, the Bukit Panjang LRT line is what nightmares are made of.

No matter what combination of
transport you use — LRT + MRT, bus + MRT, walking to the nearest MRT) —
you’re still looking at at least an hour of commuting to get to Raffles
Place.

Even if you drive, you’ll have to budget at least half an hour of driving on empty roads, and much more during rush hour. 

Despite the peak hour crowds — which
frankly, can’t be avoided given our growing population — it’s a decent
place to live in considering the low prices.

The Choa Chu Kang project would be ideal for nature-loving people who will take advantage of the nearby greenery and the surrounding Upper Bukit Timah and Kranji areas.

Woodlands Aug 2020 BTO

The Woodlands launch actually
consists of two sites. In this section, unless otherwise specified,
we’ll be talking about the much bigger 1,770 unit development next to
Woodlands MRT, since that’s the one that most people are going to be
balloting for. 

The second, smaller development close to Woodlands South MRT only has 340 units and is limited to 2-room flexi and 4-room flats.

First, let’s talk about the
advantages. Both sites are located very near MRT stations. The bigger
development is right beside Woodlands MRT, bus interchange and main
shopping hub Causeway Point. 

The second is located very near Woodlands South MRT. That being said, this location is less attractive since the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) serving this station takes significantly longer to connect you to the city, as the rest of the TEL is not yet ready.

However, once the TEL is completed in the next few years, the journey from Woodlands South to Orchard is expected to take only 35 minutes. 

Woodlands is an established
neighbourhood, so there’s no shortage of facilities. Causeway Point is
big by neighbourhood mall standards and also houses the library and a
big Cold Storage supermarket. There are plenty of schools in the area so
if you’re not too picky, your kids might be able to walk to school from
primary school all the way up to poly or JC.

Cyclists and joggers can also enjoy
the Woodlands Park Connector, which runs through the estate and takes
you all the way to Admiralty Park and the Straits of Johor.

The proximity of Woodlands to JB
becomes a lot more appealing if you’d rather spend your weekends getting
cheaper massages or manicures in Malaysia rather than shopping in town,
or if you’re an inveterate JB petrol pumper.

On the other hand, if you need to
rush to work in the CBD every morning, living in Woodlands is less fun.
Both developments are located close to MRT stations, but the ride from
Woodlands MRT to Raffles Place MRT takes a good 57 minutes, and that
from Woodlands South MRT is a whopping 65 minutes. Driving to the CBD
takes about half an hour in smooth traffic, with the SLE more than 5km
away.

The Woodlands launch is best suited to bargain hunters who are willing to make some sacrifices for a lower cost of living. For an affordable price, you get to live near an MRT station in addition to being able to hop over to JB for cheaper groceries, petrol, dental appointments and so on.

Tengah Aug 2020 BTO

If you’re wondering where the hell Tengah is or tried searching for it on the map, don’t bother. At the moment, it’s basically a swathe of nothingness northwest of Bukit Batok and Bukit Gombak, next to Bukit Batok Driving Centre. The government plans to develop it into a new town in the coming years.

So, this BTO launch is more for those who are buying a flat with a very long-term view. The area is going to take decades to fully develop, so for the first 10 to 15 years you can expect to see a lot of construction going on around you. 

It will also take time for amenities to slowly spring up, so you’ll most likely have to head to Bukit Batok for most of your needs for the first couple of years, or you know, just get everything delivered.

Based on the existing amenities in neighbouring Bukit Batok, residents might enjoy being close to the greenery at Bukit Batok Hillside Park and Bukit Batok Nature Park a bit further away. There’s also the Civil Service Club opposite West Mall, which has a bowling alley that’s open to the public.

Shopping facilities are definitely not great here, with the modest West Mall being the only shopping centre for miles around. But the bustling Jurong East shopping district with malls like Westgate, JCube and Jem is just one MRT stop away.

In terms of transportation, there are plans to build two new MRT stations to serve the Tengah area, namely Tengah Park and Tengah Plantation stations on the upcoming Jurong Region Line. Both will be just a few minutes’ walk from the BTO project and are expected to open in 2027, a few years after the BTO is ready for habitation. Still, travelling to the CBD during rush hour is likely to take quite a bit of time as commuters will still have to change trains at the perpetually crowded Jurong East MRT.

In the first few years, residents will be relying on Bukit Batok MRT and bus interchange to get around. With the MRT station a good 2km away, you’re looking at about an hour of travelling time to get to Raffles Place.

Tengah is likely to be populated mostly by young couples and those with young children. This might be appealing if you fall into this demographic. It’s also a great location for those who work in the Jurong East area.

Ultimately, though, you’ll have to ask yourself if you’re willing to tolerate many years of construction and lacklustre amenities as the area undergoes development.

This article was originally published on the MoneySmart Blog.