Yishun’s Chencharu to feature park, food center, bus hub
The plantation home of the colonial period located in Bukit Sembawang will be atop a new park, which is one of the amenities to be built for the residents of an up-and-coming housing development in Yishun.
Chencharu will feature an integrated development, which includes a hawker center, bus interchanges, shops and housing units.
Other new facilities planned include a school and nursing home to cater to people of various stages of life.
Chencharu was comprised of farms and plantations in the 1900s and was subsequently renovated for commercial and recreational purposes. It was home to plant nurseries as well as the former Bottle Tree Park, which later became Orto recreation park. In the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s masterplan for 2019, the area was designated for residential development.
By 2040, approximately 10,000 homes will be built on the site of 70ha, at least 80 percent of which will be public flats.
The first Build-to-Order (BTO) project in Chencharu which comprises 1,270 units, which include two-room flexi units, three-, four- and five-room flats, is expected to be launched before the end of June, HDB said. The rest of the projects will be launched in stages in the coming years.
The area’s plans will pay tribute to Chencharu’s rich history and heritage as well as incorporating innovative and sustainable aspects into the developments.
Precincts are connected to recreation areas and will be accessible by public transport, encouraging individuals to walk or cycle to work.
In the middle of the estate is a footpath that connects the new park in the west to the current neighbourhood park close to Khatib MRT station in the east.
A brand new road for buses only called Chencharu Link will run from the north to the south of the estate in order to give dedicated road space to smoother bus journeys.
There are also walking and cycling paths that connect neighbouring towns like Sembawang and to recreation nodes like Khatib Bongsu Nature Park, Lower Seletar Reservoir and the upcoming North-South Corridor.
The first BTO Project in Chencharu includes features from the bungalow that is over 100 years old and located at 50 Bah Soon Pah Road. The authorities have preserved the two-story bungalow constructed by the Bukit Sembawang Rubber Company in the beginning of 1900.
Inspiring itself from the bungalow’s design and its floors that are raised above the ground using masonry piers and columns, the BTO project will feature an outline of black on the first couple of storeys, and a red, black and white facade that mirrors the colors of the home.
The new park will be constructed around the bungalow, and will be repurposed to be used for community purposes.
The park is built next to the BTO Project and include playgrounds, fitness areas that include fitness equipment, hard courts and open lawns for playing sports as well as a therapeutic area.
The trail of heritage will include stories and gardens to help residents learn more about the past of the area.
These features are designed to foster social connections as well as a vigorous lifestyle and overall wellbeing of residents.
Two tenants in Lorong Chencharu which were a hit with the public, and must leave their property to make way for the new developments. They will be relocated to a nearby site adjacent to HomeTeamNS Khatib.
They’re Ground-Up Initiative, a non-profit organisation known for its focus on sustainability and community building and also the Live Turtle Museum.
This will permit the continuation of current activities in these distinct recreational areas, and also provide opportunities to create strong bonds of friendship with the new residents who have recently arrived in Chencharu. This will help to enhance Chencharu’s reputation as a vibrant modern and contemporary kampung.
The smart home technology will be accessible to owners of the homes.
The city is also planning to implement smart lighting systems that will allow HDB as well as local councils to keep track of the lighting of public spaces in real-time, thus reducing the need for manual inspections.
The demand is high for prior BTO launches in Yishun is expected to last for the first BTO in Chencharu.
In the three BTO projects in Yishun which were launched in the month of November 2022 In all, there were over 1,400 applicants who were competing for 917 four-room flats. There were further 1,400 interested applicants were competing for 795 five-room units.
In addition, the amenities planned for the area will likely to generate positive interest among potential buyers of homes looking for a self-sufficient town that can meet their needs and offers convenience.
