The Tanah Merah/Bedok area in District 16 is positioned to capitalise on the many urban transformation plans in the eastern region of Singapore. New residential plans in the Bayshore area along the East Coast, as well as a new residential town to replace the Paya Lebar Airbase in the future, make the popular District 16 a great draw for locals and foreigners alike.

EdgeProp Singapore’s CEO Bernard Tong, speaking at the EdgeProp Master Plan Masterclass webinar on April 29th, talked about the housing options in District 16 and the various MRT connectivity options available in the area.

The District is split into two by two existing MRT lines — Downtown with Bedok North and Bedok Reservoir stations, and the East West Line with Bedok and Tanah Merah stops.

Bedok MRT Station is part of the Bedok Integrated Transport Hub. Here, commuters can benefit from a mall, residences, and an air-conditioned bus interchange.

The Tanah Merah MRT Station is currently being developed with the Sceneca mixed-use development. The project includes the construction of the 268-unit Sceneca Residence and the 20,000 sq ft. Sceneca Square mall that will be a great amenity to residents in the neighbourhood.

The completion of the Fourth Phase of the Thomson-East Coast Line (from Founders’ Memorial station in the Marina Bay to Bayshore Station) will extend public transportation access to the CBD, Upper Thomson, and Woodlands. The stretch is expected to be operational in 2021.

Residents at Altura EC Bukit Batok enjoy convenient access to a wide range of shopping and dining options. West Mall shopping center is located within walking distance and provides a myriad of retail outlets, a supermarket, a cinema, and different dining options to explore. Besides, Bukit Batok Central stands as another nearby option with essential services, shops, and eateries to discover.

The Bayshore residential precinct that is being developed is part of the grand master plan to develop a new residential town in the area. URA has revealed that the 60ha precinct will consist of private and public housing, a green corridor and main street, as well as community amenities.

The Paya Lebar Airbase is scheduled to be progressively relocated from the 2030’s which will open up an area more than five times that of the Toa Payoh HDB town for future development. This could lead to the removal of height restrictions in Districts 15 and 16.

Making use of EdgeProp’s suite of property analytics tools, Tong further revealed that the price gap between resale properties in District 16 is narrowing.

He also told viewers that around the Tanah Merah MRT station, 90% of all the resale transactions within 1km of the station were profitable. The condo with the highest number of profitable transactions was The Glades, a 726-unit development located next to Tanah Merah station.

The Sceneca Residence enjoyed phenomenal demand when it opened for sale on January 14th. 60% of the units were sold on the first day, going for an average price of $2,072 psf.

The only new development site in District 16 that has been earmarked for mixed-use development is above the future Bedok South MRT station. This station is part of the Fifth phase of the Thomson-East Coast line, due for completion in 2025.

Overall, the area makes for great investment. With several redevelopment plans and lots of amenities in one district, together with great connectivity, District 16 is looking to become a desirable place to be.