HDB has just launched the May 2021 BTO today, with four projects located in mature estate of Bukit Merah and Geylang, non-mature estate of the upcoming “Forest Town” of Tengah as well as Woodlands. Whether you are aiming to secure a BTO or you are just prospecting around, find out more about the launches and the factors that might influence your choice of a BTO.
Overview
| May 2021 BTO | Flat Types Available | Available Units |
| Telok Blangah Beacon | 3-room, 4-room | 170 |
| MacPherson Weave | 2-room, 3-room, 4-room | 1380 |
| Garden Bloom @ Tengah | 2-room, 4-room, 5-room | 780 |
| Woodgrove Ascent | 2-room, 3-room, 4-room, 5-room | 1540 |
This is a nice mixture of locations covering almost the main parts of Singapore. Each of the location have its own pull factor, so read on to find out if any of the 4 locations appeal to you.
Telok Blangah Beacon
This project consists of 170 units with unit mix of 3-room and 4-room flats, will be located along Telok Blangah Drive
Perhaps one of the most anticipated projects, the new BTO launch in Bukit Merah for May’s 2021 BTO launch is located nearer to the upcoming Greater Southern Waterfront, which comprises of 30km of coastline in the southern part of Singapore. This means that residents in Bukit Merah locality will be able to enjoy closer proximity to greenery and as well as the waterfront. Here is a map of the upcoming Bukit Merah May’s 2021 BTO launch.
Schools
There are only a handful of schools nearby, namely Blangah Rise Primary, Radin Mas Primary, CHIJ St. Theresa’s Convent, only the latter is a secondary school. However, there are plentiful of preschools nearby, so parents need not worry about this.
Amenities
As the upcoming BTO project in Bukit Merah is near to the upcoming Greater Southern Waterfront, you can expect plentiful of new amenities as developments continue in this area for the next 5 to 10 years. The BTO project is also just one MRT station away from Vivocity, which offers a huge array of food options as well as entertainment outlets. You can also take a quick trip down to Sentosa where there are so much things to do at! Once COVID dies off, you can also take a quick ferry down to Batam for a quick getaway too.
Transportation
The BTO project is located right in the middle of two MRT lines which are just 10 mins away by foot. If you prefer to take the bus, you can find bus stops aplenty in the nearby vicinity. Of course, a short bus ride away will take you to Seah Inn Food center as well as the Harbourfront MRT station, which connects you to the rest of Singapore.
Typical Traffic Condition
While indeed the BTO is near different avenues for transportation, it is situated pretty close to West Coast Highway, and West Coast Highway is peppered with industrial vehicles making its way to the nearby Pasir Panjang Terminals as well as people utilizing Telok Blangah road to reach the CBD area. So you can expect traffic conditions to be heavier in the early mornings and the late evening, but condition should improve once all port operations shift to Tuas.
Greenery
This is perhaps the top choice for your BTO is you are looking to live around lush greenery. Be treated to a sight of Mount Faber Park and Telok Blangah Hill Park right behind your BTO. If you are adventurous enough, you can take a short hike up Mount Faber, and while you are at it take a rest at Alkaff Mansion. There are various trails for you to explore too. Labrador Nature Reserve is also just a short drive away. Of course, Sentosa isn’t that far off too, so you can head in anytime to visit any of the trails in the island too.
With just 170 units being offered, you can expect this to be one of the tougher BTO to snag. If you are greatly intrigued by the Greater Southern Waterfront as well as the amount of lush green spaces available, go ahead and ballot this BTO and you might be one of the lucky few!
MacPherson Weave
This project consists of 1380 units with unit mix of 2-room, 3-room and 4-room flats, will be bounded by Circuit Road, Circuit Link, and Paya Lebar Road.
Geylang is notoriously famous for its huge array of delicious food that peppers its streets, and the Government has taken steps to rezone the area so that residents can be segregated from the sleazy red-light district that it is well known to be. Hence, for the upcoming May 2021 Geylang BTO launch, you can expect tougher competition since the location is largely prime due to its close proximity to various amenities as well as to the central business district.
Schools
Geylang is notoriously famous for its huge array of delicious food that peppers its streets, and the Government has taken steps to rezone the area so that residents can be segregated from the sleazy red-light district that it is well known to be. Hence, for the upcoming May 2021 Geylang BTO launch, you can expect tougher competition since the location is largely prime due to its close proximity to various amenities as well as to the central business district. Here is a map of the upcoming Geylang May’s 2021 BTO launch.
Amenities
Geylang is notoriously famous for its huge array of delicious food that peppers its streets, and the Government has taken steps to rezone the area so that residents can be segregated from the sleazy red-light district that it is well known to be. Hence, for the upcoming May 2021 Geylang BTO launch, you can expect tougher competition since the location is largely prime due to its close proximity to various amenities as well as to the central business district. Here is a map of the upcoming Geylang May’s 2021 BTO launch.
Transportation
As the BTO project is literally just beside Macpherson MRT station, which has access to both the Circle line and Downtown line, it will be convenient for you to head to Chinatown, Tampines, or even the Botanical Gardens via the Circle Line. Being at the heart of an interchange, transportation will be a breeze.
Since Macpherson MRT is one stop away from Paya Lebar, it will also be equally convenient for you to access the East-West line too.
Typical Traffic Condition
As the area is close to CBD as well as Ubi industrial area, you can expect heavy vehicles in and out of the vicinity. Also, there is an entrance to PIE nearby, so heading out and into the area will be easier. Just note that traffic during the mid-noon can be heavy due to the larger industrial vehicles plying the road.
Greenery
As this is a built-up residential plot, there isn’t much green spaces around. However, the Central Urban Loop and the Eastern Coast Loop is about 2Km away, making it convenient if you decide to explore Singapore via the Park Connectors.
Geylang is going through a transformation, and with its close proximity to food centers, CBD, as well as the upcoming redevelopment of Paya Lebar, it is a good choice for most families. Note that you will be subject to the noise from the Paya Lebar airbase till 2030 when they relocate to the west. If you are looking to invest, then this might be a good choice for a BTO since the location is pretty awesome as well as its close proximity to industrial zones as well as PLQ.
Garden Bloom @ Tengah
This project consists of 780 units with unit mix of 2-room, 4-room and 5-room flats, will be bounded by Tengah Central and Tengah Garden Walk.
Tengah is being touted as Singapore’s first smart and sustainable town as it aims to incorporate sustainability & smart technologies with nature. It is the latest HDB town in Singapore, and sentiments are high for this new smart town. Indeed, based on previous BTO launches for Tengah, they are always oversubscribed. With many new developments in this area, it is expected that competition will be high for its 780 units that will be launched in May’s 2021 BTO launch.
Schools
As this will be relatively new town, most of the schools will be located outside of Tengah. You can expect new schools to be built in the area as the town matures. You can find Dazhong Primary School with its integrated MOE-kindergarten nearby, or if you have teenagers at home, then schools like Dunearn Secondary are nearby. Dulwich College is just across the road too.
Amenities
As for now, there aren’t many amenities nearby since it is a town that is still in development, but the locality is near proposed MRT lines, and the main town center is just one MRT station away. The town center will be a buzzling hub for residents in Tengah as it aims to be a one-stop hub for families. There will also be the upcoming Jurong Innovation District which grants residents access to workplaces nearby.
Transportation
Similarly, we only know that the proposed Hong Kah MRT station and Tengah MRT station will be done by 2027 as part of Phase 1 launch of the new Jurong Region Line. This new MRT line will connect Tengah to the rest of Singapore. Integrated bus terminals are also in the pipeline, so by the time you receive your keys to Tengah, the stations will be up and running already.
Typical Traffic Condition
Not much is known too since the roads are all under construction. Note that Tengah is touted as a “car-free” town where roads will run beneath the town center.
Greenery
Perhaps this is the main draw for many families as Tengah is designed as a Forest City with much greenery planned in the town. Nature lovers will love this new town as the Forest Corridor and the Forest Fringe grants them access to nature.
Woodgrove Ascent
This project consists of 1540 units with unit mix of 2-room, 3-room, 4-room and 5-room flats, will be located along Woodlands Avenue 1.
Schools
As Woodlands is quite established already, there a plenty of schools here. For primary schools, the new BTO project is minutes away from Si Ling Primary School as well as Fuchun Primary & Secondary Schools. For tertiary students, Yishun Innova JC is nearby too, while Republic Polytechnic is 6 minutes away by car. Singapore Sports School is also just 6 minutes away too.
Amenities
Causeway Point, Marsiling Mall and The Woodgrove are nearby. There a plenty of food choices around too, and the nearest supermarket is just 5 minutes away if you intend to walk over. In terms of health care facilities, the Woodlands Health Campus, which is slated to open progressively from 2023, is 5 minutes away by car. One interesting point to note is that Woodlands is undergoing a transformation, and the new Woodlands Regional Centre is designated to be the largest economic hub in the north of Singapore. These 100 hectares of land will be redeveloped into a vibrant hub that incorporates industrial, research, and businesses altogether in one large strategic centre for the Northern Agri-Tech and Food Corridor. While this means that Woodlands will be a busier place, that will also mean that the resale value of the BTO might go up since it is expected that there will be a higher demand for rental flats in the near future.
Transportation
With the presence of the main North-South line at Woodlands as well as the integrated bus interchange, there are plenty of options should you decide to head out of Woodlands via public transport. SLE is also nearby if you decide to drive out of Woodlands.
Typical Traffic Condition
That stretch is mostly residential, so the traffic conditions will peak during the early mornings or late evening, but typically it is very rare to have traffic congestions in the area.
Greenery
There will be the Woodlands Regional Centre that promises to create a vibrant hub in the sleepy town of Woodlands. There will be the Woodlands Waterfront which offers scenic trails. Admiralty park is nearby too. If you want to, you can explore the Northern Explorer Loop as it connects you to the rest of the park connectors in Singapore.
Woodlands might be considered the main place where people head to when they go to Malaysia. While that stays, the value of housing in Woodlands will only start to increase due to the major restructuring that they have in the area. With 1540 units available, you might just have the perfect chance to own a BTO that brings you closer to an integrated hub for the future.
