GuidesNeighbourhood Of The Week: Bukit Timah (District 21)
- by Ryan J Ong
- September 16, 2020
- 6 min read
Bukit Timah is the neighbourhood for the upscale nature lover / family own stay type. This is a prime area, where landed housing and private condominiums outnumber HDB flats.
Unlike Orchard or the CBD however, Bukit Timah is a green enclave; the highlight is Bukit Timah Nature Reserve instead of another giant mall. And while some areas of Bukit Timah are less accessible – such as the landed housing estates – this isn’t considered a drawback. Exclusivity is the point in this neighbourhood, and it’s assumed that anyone who lives in landed housing here has private transport.
Bukit Timah is also a long-established expatriate enclave, and plenty of rare Good Class Bungalows (GCBs) are in or near Bukit Timah.
Facts about Bukit Timah
- District 10
- Bukit Timah is a planning area with eight sub-zones: Anak Bukit, Coronation Road, Farrer Court, Hillcrest, Holland Road, Leedon Park, Swiss Club, and Ulu Pandan
- Estimated population of 77,430 as of 2019, with a population density of 4,417 per km2. This is significantly lower than Singapore’s average of 8,358 per km2.
- Approx. size of 17.5 km2.
- Bukit Timah Hill is the highest natural point in Singapore (163 metres), and Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is the largest primary forest in Singapore.
Primary Schools
- Bukit Timah Primary School
- Henry Park Primary School
- Methodist Girls’ School
- Nanyang Primary School
- Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary School
- Raffles Girls’ Primary School
Secondary Schools
- Anglo Chinese School
- Singapore Chinese Girls School
- Hwa Chong Institution
- Methodist Girls’ School (Secondary)
- Nanyang Girls’ High School
- National Junior College
- St. Margaret’s Secondary School
Other School
- Hwa Chong Institution
- National Junior College
- Ngee Ann Polytechnic
- Singapore University of Social Sciences
- St Francis Methodist School
- DIMENSIONS International College
- German European School
- Hollandse School
- Singapore Korean International School
- Swiss School in Singapore
Malls
- Bukit Timah Shopping Centre
- Beauty World Centre
- Cluny Court
- Coronation Shopping Plaza
- Crown Centre
- KAP
- Raffles Holland V Mall
- The Grandstand
MRT Station(s)
- Beauty World
- King Albert Park
- Sixth Avenue
- Tan Kah Kee
- Farrer Road
- Holland Village
Average Flat Prices
The average price of an HDB flat in Bukit Timah over the last 6 months is $602 psf. Since 2010, the average price of a flat in Bukit Timah has appreciated by around 31 per cent.
3-room flats
The average price of a 3-room flat in Bukit Timah over the last 6 months is $532 psf. This is up by around 12.7 per cent compared to 2010.
4-room flats
The average price of a 4-room flat in Bukit Timah over the last 6 months is $592 psf, up around 26.8 per cent from 10 years ago.
5-room flats
The average price of a 5-room flat in Bukit Timah today is $606 psf, up around 44.7 per cent from 10 years ago.
Overall Non-Landed Private Residential Prices in District 21
Average condo prices in District 21 (Upper Bukit Timah, Ulu Pandan, Clementi Park) averages $1,707 psf, up around 45 per cent from $1,175 psf 10 years ago.
Top 10 Projects Ranked By Capital Gain
| Project Name | Tenure | Completion | Capital Gain (%) | Historical Price ($PSF) | Current Price ($PSF) |
| Mandarin Park | Freehold | 1972 | 98.8 | 932 | 1,853 |
| Hoover Park | Freehold | – | 98.6 | 1,110 | 2,205 |
| Summerhill | Freehold | 2002 | 74.2 | 797 | 1,388 |
| The Beverley | Freehold | 2012 | 70.3 | 784 | 1,335 |
| Signature Park | Freehold | 1998 | 57.7 | 832 | 1,312 |
| Hume Park II | Freehold | 1997 | 50.7 | 779 | 1,174 |
| Southaven II | 999 years | 1999 | 49.9 | 779 | 1,168 |
| Bukit Regency | Freehold | 1995 | 46.7 | 828 | 1,215 |
| Hong Kong Park | 999 years | – | 46.4 | 1,194 | 1,748 |
| Hume Park I | Freehold | 1995 | 45.3 | 695 | 1,010 |
Bottom 10 Projects Ranked By Capital Gain
| Project Name | Tenure | Completion | Capital Gain (%) | Historical Price ($PSF) | Current Price ($PSF) |
| Suites De Laurel | 999 yrs | 2012 | -33.5 | 1,363 | 906 |
| Jardin | Freehold | 2012 | -13.1 | 1,770 | 1,539 |
| Freesia Woods | Freehold | 2003 | -3.9 | 882 | 848 |
| Greenbank Park | Freehold | 1981 | -3.1 | 1,021 | 989 |
| Binjai Crest | 99 yrs | 2004 | 4.2 | 549 | 572 |
| Floridian | Freehold | 2012 | 5.2 | 1,647 | 1,732 |
| Pine Grove | 99 yrs | – | 7.6 | 830 | 893 |
| Pandan Valley | Freehold | 1978 | 10 | 850 | 935 |
| Astor Green | 99 yrs | 1995 | 11.3 | 936 | 1,042 |
| The Cascadia | Freehold | 2010 | 15.2 | 1,425 | 1,642 |
| The Raintree | 99 yrs | 2008 | 15.8 | 904 | 1,047 |
Top 10 Projects Ranked By Rental Yield
| Project Name | Tenure | Completion | Gross Yield (%) |
| The Hillford | 60 yrs | 2016 | 5 |
| Suites De Laurel | 99 yrs | 2012 | 4.3 |
| Freesia Woods | Freehold | 2003 | 3.6 |
| Hua Guan Gardens | 999 yrs | 1985 | 3.4 |
| Binjai Crest | 99 yrs | 2004 | 3.4 |
| Nottinghill Suites | Freehold | 2014 | 3.3 |
| Suites at Bukit Timah | Freehold | 2014 | 3.1 |
| Kilburn Estate | 999 yrs | Unknown | 3.1 |
| Le Wood | 99 yrs | 2000 | 3 |
| Astor Green | 99 yrs | 1995 | 3 |
Notable recent launches:
This is a freehold condo with 633 units. It’s located along Toh Tuck Road, about 850 metres from the Beauty World MRT station. The launch was on July 2020, and it has sold 34 per cent of its total units so far.
Key drivers to note:
1. Bukit Timah could see a lifestyle boost from the completion of the Rail Corridor
The Rail Corridor redevelops a former 24-kilometre railway line, that has since been disused. The stretch is being transformed into a long park, with food, recreational activities, and retail.
Slated for completion in 2021, it will run through Kranji, Bukit Timah, Buona Vista, and a few other neighbourhoods. Bukit Timah Railway Station will act as both a heritage centre, and a base for community activities.
The excitement is somewhat mitigated by the fact that Bukit Timah has no shortage of parks and nature walks; this may be one more of an amenity that Bukit Timah residents already have in abundance. Nonetheless, it does add to their lifestyle options.
2. The Jalan Anak Bukit site has an upcoming mixed-use development, near the Beauty World MRT station
The tender for the 3.2-hectare site is already open. The site is expected to yield 865 private residential units, and 7,500 sqm for shops and restaurants. The requirement is for a “green urban village”, that will link into Bukit Timah’s nature theme.
This is especially significant to Bukit Timah’s retail scene, as existing malls – such as Beauty World Centre and Bukit Timah Shopping Centre – have become dated. As such, the new retail and food options here are likely to make it the next hotspot in Bukit Timah.
3. General transport improvements are underway
Two more upcoming MRT stations – Stevens and Napier – are planned to open in 2021. In particular, Stevens MRT will act as an interchange station with Downtown Line Stage 2 (DTL2).
Road improvements are underway for Clementi Road and the PIE, and in the Jalan Anak Bukit area. This will improve general traffic conditions.
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