Bishan Terraces BTO October 2025 ($229k - $735k)

Bishan, as a mature and highly sought-after estate, has had a limited but very popular history of Build-to-Order (BTO) projects. The scarcity of new land in the central region makes any new launch in Bishan a highly anticipated event, often leading to significant oversubscription.

Before the BTO scheme was introduced, HDB’s development of Bishan New Town began in the 1980s on the former site of the Kwong Wai Siew Peck San Theng cemetery. This initial development, which included the iconic residential blocks with pitched roofs, was completed in stages. These older flats now command high resale values, with Bishan being one of the first HDB towns to see million-dollar flat transactions.

• Address: Bishan Street 12, Guangyang Secondary School
• Total Units: 538
• Unit Types: 2-Room Flexi, 3-Room, 4-Room
• Wait Time: 3 Years, 11 Months
• Category: Prime

Since the BTO system’s inception in 2001, new HDB flats in Bishan have been exceptionally rare. The few launches that have occurred have been met with overwhelming demand from homebuyers.

Here is a summary of some of the most notable BTO projects in Bishan’s history:

• Golden Jasmine (September 2006): One of the earliest BTO projects in Bishan, this development was a rare seniors-only BTO with studio apartments. It catered to the demand for elderly-friendly housing options in a mature estate.
• Bishan Towers (August 2020): This project was a major milestone, as it was one of the first BTO launches for the general public in Bishan in many years. It was located along Kallang River and bounded by Bishan Street 11 and Braddell Road. The launch of Bishan Towers, along with Bishan Ridges in the same year, highlighted the pent-up demand for public housing in the area.
• Bishan Ridges (November 2020): Launched just a few months after Bishan Towers, Bishan Ridges was another highly-anticipated project. It was situated near the Bishan Town Centre and was known for its proximity to key amenities, including Bishan MRT station and Junction 8. The project offered a variety of flats, including 2-room Flexi, 3-room, and 4-room units.
• Sin Ming Residences (December 2023): This project was particularly significant as it was the first new flat development in the Sin Ming area in 35 years. Located along Sin Ming Road, it offered 3-room and 4-room flats and was highly attractive due to its proximity to Upper Thomson MRT station and several popular schools.

Bishan Terraces Prices

• 2-Room: $229,000 - $364,000
• 3-Room: $408,000 - $516,000
• 4-Room: $543,000 - $735,000

Bishan’s Cemetery History

The name “Bishan” is a direct reference to its past. It is derived from the Cantonese term “Peck San Theng” (碧山亭), which translates to “pavilions on the jade hills.” This was the name of a large, sprawling cemetery that occupied the land where the town now stands.

The cemetery, established in 1870 by Cantonese and Hakka immigrants, was the largest in Singapore and was managed by a federation of 16 Cantonese clans. The name refers to the numerous pavilions that dotted the landscape, providing shelter for visitors to the graves.

Funeral Trade

The most significant feature of the area was the Kwong Wai Siew Peck San Theng cemetery. This massive burial ground was the final resting place for tens of thousands of people.

Around the cemetery, a small community of settlers known as Kampong San Teng grew. The residents were often involved in the funeral trade, working as cemetery caretakers, selling funeral paraphernalia, and carving tombstones. Over time, the village grew to a population of nearly 2,000 and became a self-sufficient community with its own school, market, and temple.

The transformation of Bishan from a cemetery to a modern town was a significant undertaking driven by Singapore’s need for land for housing.

Bishan’s Redevelopment

In 1979, the government acquired the land from the Kwong Wai Siew Peck San Theng federation for urban development. The graves were exhumed between 1982 and 1984 to make way for the new town. The original Kwong Wai Siew Peck San Theng building remains today, converted into a columbarium and temple.

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Bishan New Town in 1983

The development of Bishan New Town began in 1983. It was one of the first HDB towns to move away from the “brutalist” architectural style of previous public housing. The blocks were designed with a more varied and less uniform layout. A distinctive feature of many Bishan HDB flats is their unique pitched roofs, which were a deliberate design element to evoke the image of “pavilions on the green” and honor the town’s historical name.

The town was completed in stages, with the last areas being finished around 1989. Over the decades, Bishan has grown into a mature, highly sought-after residential estate known for its central location, robust transport network (including a dual-line MRT interchange), prestigious schools like Raffles Institution and Catholic High School, and a wide range of amenities.

Bishan covers a total land area of approximately 7.62 square kilometers (2.94 square miles). As of the latest available data, the resident population of Bishan is around 87,930 people. This makes it the 22nd most populated planning area in Singapore. There are over 20,000 HDB flats in Bishan, managed by the Bishan-Toa Payoh Town Council. A 2018 HDB statistic stated there were 20,072 HDB flats under its management. Given the average number of units per block, this would translate to hundreds of blocks. Bishan is also known for having some of HDB’s pioneering 30-storey blocks.

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Food

While Bishan is a mature estate, it does not have a large, centralised hawker centre like those found in older towns. Instead, food is primarily available in Junction 8, neighbourhood coffee shops and at the smaller Shunfu Mart Market & Food Centre, which is a short bus ride or a longer walk away.

Located at 320 Shunfu Road, the Shunfu Mart Market & Food Centre (Shunfu Market) is a well-known hawker centre in the area. It is particularly famous for its traditional local food stalls, some of which have long queues. It is considered one of the best food spots in the wider Bishan/Sin Ming area.

Bishan bus interchange also has a food centre on its second floor. There’s a famous Shi Xiang Ge authentic Shanxi cuisine stall located in this Bishan Bus Interchange food centre.

Coffee shops, kopitiams, and food courts, are however, scattered throughout the HDB blocks.

Kim San Leng Food Centre (located at 511 Bishan Street 13) is a popular and well-established coffee shop known for several famous stalls, including Ming Kee Chicken Rice and Uncle Penyet.

There’s also a coffee shop at Block 504 Bishan Street 11, S-11 Food Court offers a wide variety of cuisines, from local to Western, and another at Blk 112 Bishan Street 12.

In addition to the centres and food courts, the area is also home to a number of individual eateries and famous food stalls, many of which are located in smaller coffee shops such as Two Chefs Eating Place, a well-known zi char restaurant chain with a branch at Sin Ming Avenue, which is a short distance away.

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Supermarkets

For a comprehensive shopping experience, the FairPrice Finest at Junction 8 offers a wide range of premium and imported goods, along with fresh produce, making it a perfect one-stop-shop for all your household needs.

For daily essentials and more budget-friendly options, there are two key supermarkets located in the nearby Bishan Town Centre. An NTUC FairPrice at Block 510 Bishan Street 13 provides a good selection of everyday groceries, while a Sheng Siong Supermarket at Block 512 Bishan Street 13 is known for its competitive prices and frequent promotions. In addition to these major chains, the area is also home to smaller, independent supermarkets and convenience stores that are ideal for quick, last-minute purchases.

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Location

The walk from the former Guangyang Primary School site to Bishan MRT station is estimated to take between 7 to 10 minutes, depending on your walking speed and the specific block you are walking from. The distance is approximately 600 to 800 meters.

The area is served by several bus stops along Bishan Street 12 and the nearby Braddell Road, providing extensive connectivity. The bus services that serve this location include:

• Bus Stop B/S 53401 (Guangyang Sec Sch): This bus stop is directly in front of Guangyang Secondary School and is served by bus service 410G.
• Bus Stop B/S 53419 (Opp Guangyang Pr Sch): This bus stop is opposite the former Guangyang Primary School site and is served by bus service 410W.
• Bus Stop B/S 53409 (Blk 131): This bus stop is a short walk away and is served by bus service 410W.
• Nearby Bus Stops on Braddell Road: Additional bus services are available at bus stops on Braddell Road, a short walk from the site. These services include: 13, 56, 57, 59, 71, 88, 93, 157, and 163.

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Primary Schools

This BTO estate is located in an area with a number of well-regarded primary and secondary schools. Primary schools within 1km of this BTO estate include:

• Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Primary School: This school is located on the same street, at 8 Bishan Street 13.
• Catholic High School (Primary Section): A boys’ school located nearby at 9 Bishan Street 22.
• Ai Tong School: A co-ed school located in Bishan, at 100 Bright Hill Drive.

Further primary schools within the 2km perimeter include Ang Mo Kio Primary School, Marymount Convent School, Townsville Primary School, Jing Shan Primary School.

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Fengshui

Fengshui, or Chinese geomancy, is a traditional practice that examines how a location’s features and energy flow can influence the well-being and fortune of the people living there. When applied to real estate, practitioners often analyse the land’s history, its surrounding environment, and its physical attributes.

Cemetery Fengshui

The history of Bishan as a former cemetery, the Kwong Wai Siew Peck San Theng, is a significant point in Fengshui discussions about the town. According to Fengshui principles, the history of land and its previous use can have an impact on its current energy.

Some Fengshui practitioners believe that a former burial ground may retain certain energies, and they might advise using cleansing rituals before moving in. Other practitioners may consider the matter resolved due to the extensive exhumation and urban development that has taken place over decades, which effectively “clears” the land.

Bishan Fengshui

Bishan’s landscape is considered favourable from a Fengshui perspective. It is located on a slightly elevated area, which is often seen as a sign of stability and good energy (qi). The presence of Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park and the re-naturalised Kallang River is a highly positive feature. In Fengshui, bodies of water (especially flowing water) are associated with wealth and prosperity. The winding path of the river is believed to facilitate a gentle flow of positive energy.

Applying these general principles to the specific location of the Bishan October 2025 BTO site, a Fengshui analysis would likely focus on its immediate surroundings:

The site itself was a school, not part of the former cemetery. This is often viewed as a positive attribute, as the land has a history of being a place of learning and activity rather than rest.

The site’s close proximity to Bishan’s town centre, the MRT station, and Junction 8 is seen as highly beneficial. In Fengshui, being near key arteries of a town is believed to facilitate the flow of good fortune and opportunities.

In essence, while the past of Bishan as a whole may be a point of consideration for some practitioners, the specific location’s immediate history and its proximity to positive elements like flowing water, established amenities, and good community planning are generally viewed as favourable factors in Fengshui analysis.

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