14,000 New Homes Planned in Sembawang and Woodlands.
Over 80% of these homes will be allocated for public housing flats, with the first Build-To-Order (BTO) project set to launch in February 2025.
The new estate in Sembawang North, located near the former British naval base at Sembawang Shipyard, covers a vast 53 hectares. The Housing and Development Board (HDB) has announced that BTO projects in the upcoming Woodlands North Coast estate will take advantage of the area's natural landscape and hilly terrain, optimizing views of nearby parks.
Two new housing estates in Singapore's northern region will offer around 14,000 homes, with the first public housing project launching in February 2025. More than 80% of these homes, approximately 12,000 units, will be designated for public housing, according to Minister for National Development Desmond Lee, who spoke at the HDB Awards ceremony on October 22. These awards honor the contributions of architectural and engineering consultants, as well as building contractors in public housing projects.
This initiative is part of the government's strategy to maintain a stable supply of homes, meet broad-based demand, and help Singaporeans achieve their homeownership goals. Lee emphasized the importance of a sufficient supply of new flats to ensure the stability of the property market.
The Sembawang North estate, spanning 53 hectares, is situated near a cluster of black-and-white bungalows managed by the Singapore Land Authority. A portion of the land along Admiralty Road West is currently occupied by two foreign worker dormitories, whose leases are expected to expire soon. The new Sembawang North housing estate is projected to yield nearly 10,000 homes, with about 8,000 public housing flats and around 2,000 private residences. The first BTO project in this area is anticipated to launch in 2025.
HDB is also planning new commercial facilities, healthcare services, schools, places of worship, and recreational and green spaces in the area. The housing developments and public spaces in Sembawang North will be designed to reflect the area's maritime identity and colonial architecture, featuring courtyard layouts, pitched roofs, and geometric patterns inspired by the nearby black-and-white bungalows. A key feature will be the Community Wharves Link, a network of pedestrian connections linking upcoming BTO projects.
The Woodlands North Coast estate will cover 21 hectares and create around 4,000 new public homes. The first BTO project in this area will launch in February 2025, with additional projects to follow in the coming years. HDB plans to leverage the area's natural landscape and hilly terrain to maximize views of Admiralty Park and Woodlands Waterfront Park. An upcoming 1.9-km walking and cycling path, developed by HDB and the National Parks Board, will enhance accessibility to the Woodlands MRT station and other amenities for future residents. The first phase of this path, named WoodsVista Gallery, will be constructed alongside a 1,785-unit BTO project in Woodlands, expected to be completed in 2026.
Other developments in the area include the industrial growth of Woodlands Regional Centre, which is expected to create 100,000 new jobs, and the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System Link, set to be completed by the end of 2026.
Analysts have welcomed these plans, noting the growing demand for homes in Sembawang and Woodlands. Christine Sun, chief researcher and strategist at OrangeTee Group, highlighted that from 2020 to 2024, Sembawang saw 10,166 flats reach their minimum occupation period, making it the fourth-largest area for resale flats supply among all towns. However, a shortfall in new flats could lead to faster-than-expected resale price increases. The median price of resale HDB flats in Sembawang rose to S$570,000 in the first three quarters of this year, up 10.7% from S$515,000 in the same period in 2022.
Eugene Lim, key executive officer at ERA Realty, noted that the new housing supply in Sembawang North will boost the area's existing housing stock by 27%. Meanwhile, Sun observed a consistently healthy demand for homes in Woodlands, with an average of 1,419 new BTO flats launched annually since 2017. This year saw the highest number of launches at 3,028 units. Application rates for BTO projects in Woodlands have been healthy, ranging from one to 1.6 times for first-time non-elderly families seeking four-room flats.
Lim added that around 1,500 three-room and larger flats were transacted in Woodlands in the first nine months of 2024, slightly lower than the 1,618 homes sold in the same period last year. Despite this, median prices of all HDB flats in Woodlands rose between 6% and 12% in the third quarter of 2024 compared to the same period the previous year. Currently, at least one-third of the HDB flats in Woodlands are 30 years or older, with another 53% between 20 and 29 years old. The new initiative aims to rejuvenate this mature town while increasing its housing supply.
Lee Sze Teck, senior director of data analytics at Huttons Asia, estimated that four-room flats in the new housing estates could start from S$350,000, given the average prices of four-room resale HDB flats in Sembawang (S$590,000) and Woodlands (S$540,000) in Q3 2024. He predicted that the application rate for these new four-room units, likely classified as Standard BTO flats, would range between two and three times.
