29 Sep 2016
Tengah, roughly the size of Bishan, is expected to be home to 42,000 homes, with a mix of both private and public housing. It will be the only HDB town to incorporate smart technologies on a town wide basis from the planning stage.
Keeping to its theme of Forest Town, key developments in Tengah include a car free town centre, a forest corridor and a Central Park. The town centre is designed to be pedestrian friendly, with vehicles going underneath it. The forest corridor will be a habitat to many species of trees and residents will be able to enjoy it via its hiking trails. The Central Park will be the centerpiece of the greenery in Tengah, offering residents a spot to relax and carry out various recreational activities.
Similar to Tengah, Punggol was largely undeveloped and at that time, thought to be too distant from the city centre. Punggol has become a bustling town, with more than 35,000 HDB flats completed and another 14,000 under construction. Its major mall, Waterway Point, opened earlier this year and is home to retailers such as H&M, Uniqlo and Laneige. Travelling within Punggol is easy with the Light Rail Transit (LRT) system and bus services. Inter-town travel is also convenient, as Punggol is a station on the North East Line, which connects it to other places in Singapore, such as Dhoby Ghaut and Harbourfront.
As a result of all these developments, properties in Punggol have become increasingly more sought after. In particular, prices of 4-room flats in Punggol are pricier than those in other popular estates such as Jurong East and West, Tampines, Serangoon and Bedok, reflecting the popularity of Punggol.
Tengah, in the same vein, could possibly go through the same journey. Residents of Tengah will be well placed to ride the wave of development in the Western Region of Singapore. Given its location in the north-west and the perceived relative lack of amenities in the infancy stage of town development, Tengah flats are expected to be priced affordably. This will be attractive to young couples who are looking to buy their first home as they now have another option.
In the long run, Tengah is definitely an up and coming new town with significant potential for capital appreciation over time.
