We Review The Oct 2024 BTO Launch Sites (Bedok, Kallang/Whampoa, Jurong West, Sengkang, Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Batok, Geylang, Pasir Ris, Woodlands)

The BTO launch for October this year is one of the most varied to date. There are 8,500 new flats spread out over nine different HDB towns, including the new estate in Bayshore (categorised under Bedok Town). This will also be one of the biggest ever launches in Jurong West, with a whopping 1,840 units of all sizes. That’s right – Jurong West alone has over 20 per cent of all the flats being launched!

It will also be the first time we are seeing Plus HDB flats (in between Standard and Prime), and a new “white flat” model, with minimal internal walls and a beam-less design. For more details, you can read it here.

This will also be the first round of launches with the new Enhanced Housing Grant (EHG), so let’s see what’s available:

Some notable changes for the October 2024 launch

There are two changes to take note of. First, for those using HDB loans, remember that the maximum Loan To Value (LTV) ratio has been reduced from 80 to 75 per cent. This was effective from 20th August, so it will matter to some buyers for this launch.

Second, as mentioned at the National Day Rally 2024, the EHG has been increased. The maximum amount is now up to $120,000 for families, and half that for singles. You can see more about these measures here. 

All HDB towns involved in the October 2024 launch

1. Ang Mo Kio

Given the unit mix of 2 and 4-room flats, this project will be one for singles or families looking to live close to their elderly parents.

This site is near Djitsun Mall and the Courts store, within Ang Mo Kio Central. Because it’s right beside Ang Mo Kio Town Garden West, there’s a healthy amount of green space for families who like walks or the outdoors. Besides Djitsun Mall, this is also the area where Jubilee Square Broadway Plaza is clustered, and next to them is the Ang Mo Kio Central Market and Food Centre. 

All in all, this is a super-convenient area located in the heart of Ang Mo Kio; and there’s a huge number of eateries, supermarkets, and other day-to-day amenities nearby. There’s also easy proximity to many schools, including Mayflower Primary, Jing Shan Primary, Anderson Secondary, Yio Chu Kang Secondary, and Presbyterian High; all of these are within a close range.

The Ang Mo Kio MRT station (NSL) is a bit far to be a comfortable walk, but there’s good bus access from here to either the Yio Chui Kang (NSL) or Ang Mo Kio stations. Ang Mo Kio Hub, next to the MRT station, also adds more retail and dining. You can also get to Mayflower MRT station (TEL) for access to a different line, although this is set further away.

This location is a well-developed, self-contained area, good for families who dislike having to venture out too often. 

2. Bedok (Bayshore)

We’ll look at the two sites, respectively near Bayshore Road and Bayshore Walk, in a single entry as they’re just across the road from each other. Bayshore was, up to now, a mainly private enclave with three condos clustered along the beachfront, and a large landed enclave nearby (Lucky Heights). This will be the one to watch given it has been predominantly a private area plus the access to sea views.

Bayshore has excellent access to East Coast Beach; there’s an underpass next to Costa Del Sol condo, which goes right to the beach BBQ area; and if you like long walks or bicycling along the stretch, you can go all the way to the East Coast Lagoon Food Village. This has been a favourite family recreational spot for years. 

Now the bad part: Amenities and transport wise, Bayshore is just starting from scratch. Prior to this, the entire appeal of the area was to be a detached, seaside alcove far from the city; so there are no malls or rows of eateries nearby (barring the venerable Hua Yu Wee restaurant). Even the Bayshore MRT station (TEL) is brand new. 

This will change now that Bayshore is being developed into its own estate; and eventually, there will be malls, food centres, a supermarket, etc. But for the time being, you’re going to have to travel out – probably to the Katong area via the MRT – for most of your shopping, groceries, and entertainment. There are few amenities in the immediate area, and getting to town is quite a long journey even with the MRT nearby.

3. Bedok (Kembangan)

This launch site is right next to Kembangan MRT station (EWL), and with just 340 units you can expect to have keen competition for the 2 and 4-room units. This is a rather quiet area, and the main appeal is probably the proximity to Paya Lebar Quarter; this is just two train stops away. We do think cyclists and walkers will like the access to the Siglap Park Connector as well – if you care for long strolls or bicycling, the connector goes all the way to Frankel, and then to Marine Parade and down to the seafront.

That said, the immediate surroundings don’t offer much in the way of retail or entertainment. There is an NTUC in the direction of Lengkong Tiga, which is within walking distance; and bus 135 from here will take you to Siglap Centre. This isn’t exactly a big mall either, but the surroundings have many coffee shops, and there’s a Cold Storage across the road. 

Alternatively, services like 135 can also take you to the Katong/Marine Parade area, where you’ll find malls like Parkway Parade and the nearby i12 Katong. This area is a recreational hub for easties, so having easy access to it is a big plus. 

Note that St. Stephen’s school is within one kilometre of this site. 

4. Bukit Batok

We suspect some people may look at this site, and insist it’s more Tengah than it is Bukit Batok. The location is practically on the boundary line with Tengah – in fact, it’s the upcoming Tengah Park station (JEL) in 2027 that will be the closest. 

That being said, it’s not as “ulu” as many of the areas in neighbouring Tengah. The Bukit Batok West HDB enclave is much more developed, and nearby you can find Sheng Siong, coffee shops, minimarts, and most day-to-day amenities. Le Quest, a mixed-use development, is also nearby; while it’s not exactly a big mall, it does have a food court and a Guardian among other food options. 

The main draw for this area is the greenery, as you’d expect from anywhere near Tengah. Bukit Batok Nature Park is nearby, and you can use the bus to get to West Mall for more heavy-duty shopping. 

This isn’t a location for urbanites though, who may find it short on entertainment and retail.

5. Geylang

Note that 280 units for the Geylang site are Community Care Apartments, which are meant for the elderly. As far as standard 4-room flats go, the availability is a very low 160 units only (there will also be a preschool facility). Given the excellent location close to Circuit Road, and to Mattar MRT (DTL), we expect these to be heavily oversubscribed. 

For those who work in the MacPherson or Tai Seng industrial areas, the appeal is obvious: both those locations are one and two stops, respectively, from Mattar MRT. This is also an incredibly convenient area to live in, with the Circuit Road Hawker Centre and the Circuit Road Market being within easy reach. Access to Paya Lebar is also very convenient: just change trains at MacPherson, or use routes like 135 from this area. 

The Circuit Road HDB enclave is very developed, and has NTUC FairPrice in addition to salons, minimarts, coffee shops, and other heartland amenities. Also note that Canossa Catholic Primary is next to the site, and MacPherson Secondary is close by. 

It’s an excellent location, but chances of getting it are slim; and those who prefer open, green areas may find it’s too heavily built-up for their tastes.

6. Jurong West

This is where most of the new flats are being launched (1,840 units), so if you want a high chance of securing your BTO (and like living in the West), your best odds are here. This site is very close to the famous Jurong Lake and its gardens, and the view from the flats should be excellent given the proximity. It’s also great for the outdoorsy types, who will enjoy the attractions of Jurong Lake District.

As an aside, fans of Super Bowl Leisure Park will love the location, as it’s just across from Yuan Ching Road. The Leisure Park, along with the HDB enclave at Corporation Drive, provides amenities like supermarkets, eateries, and entertainment. 

That said, there’s no MRT station in easy walking distance, so you’ll need a connecting bus. Even in the future when Tukang MRT on the JRL comes up, this will still be a distance away. We aren’t ones to speculate, but given there is still the Cross Island Line Phase 3 to think about, it could be reasonable to see a station open up nearby given the area is still underserved. However, this would be beyond 2032 so even if anything materialises this is quite some time away.

There are also few schools within one kilometre of here, and so far Jurong Secondary seems to be the only one. Nonetheless, if you want a view of the famous lake gardens, and you want one of the more convenient spots (in terms of amenities) in Jurong West, this may be it. 

7. Kallang/Whampoa (Near Hong Wen School)

Located right next to Hong Wen School, this site is nestled in the heart of an HDB enclave. There’s a childcare facility, a Sheng Siong, and various other HDB amenities in the area already, so this will be a convenient spot. 

Just a little further down the road, you can access Boon Keng MRT station (NEL), which is just three stops from Serangoon and Little India respectively. This puts you fairly close to places like NEX Megamall, or to the eateries and retail of Little India. Meanwhile, Boon Keng MRT itself is surrounded by various shops, food outlets, tuition centres, etc.

The Whampoa Park Connector is also very close to the site, which will appeal to cyclists and walkers. With the small number of available units though (only 360 units of which 140 units are 2-room, so this leaves a rather small pool of 220 4-room flats for many families). 

8. Kallang/Whampoa (North Bridge Road)

This is another site that’s bound to see fierce competition. It’s right across the road from North Bridge Road Market and Food Centre, and also across from Southbank. And yes, we’re talking about being within walking distance of places like Haji Lane. 

This site is within walking distance of Lavender MRT (EWL), which puts you one stop from Bugis and two stops from City Hall. The North Bridge Road area is packed with amenities, from food outlets to small shops to a lot of nightlife. In any case, it doesn’t matter when you’re so close to the heart of the city.

You’re also reasonably close to areas like Kitchener Complex, which adds even more food and grocery options. In addition, the redevelopment of Golden Mile could work to benefit residents here. 

This is also the area with the open “white flat” model, so for those who want more flexibility in their layouts, this would be the one to go for.

There’s very little that can go wrong with a location like this.

9. Kallang/Whampoa (Upper Boon Keng)

This site is an easy walk to Geylang Bahru MRT (DTL), along with the attendant Geylang Bahru Market and Food Centre. The HDB enclave in Upper Boon Keng is very well developed, and you can find a lot of coffee shops, minimarts, and heartland amenities nearby (though some may be annoyed that your project encroaches on their view of the Kallang River!) There’s also an NTUC in the HDB enclave.

There’s also good bus access to Kallang MRT (EWL) from here, though you can also walk if you don’t mind a long stroll. This area also provides good access to the Singapore Sports Hub, and its attendant Kallang Wave Mall. 

All in all, another strong location that we’re sure is going to be hard to get. But families shouldn’t overlook the fact that fewer schools are nearby, and we found only one of real relevance (Bendemeer Primary).

10. Pasir Ris

We’ll treat these two sites under the same entry, as they’re right next to each other. Next to these two plots is the almost complete Costa Grove project, a BTO that was launched in 2020. All these projects are within walking distance of Pasir Ris MRT. 

Despite Pasir Ris being a less developed location, the owners of these launch sites probably won’t feel it. Once you’re within walking distance of Pasir Ris MRT, it’s as good as living in any developed town: White Sands is a major mall that can service most of your needs, and there’s a hawker centre nearby as well. There is also the newly launched Pasir Ris Mall (which is part of Pasir Ris 8), which has all the typical Singaporean favourites, so you have no real reason to travel out.

This location will probably hold the biggest appeal to East-enders families, who are prioritizing space: not only does this site have bigger 5-room and 3Gen flats, but it’s also close to Pasir Ris Park, which provides room for family activities. 

With so many units available, we see this as the east-side counterpart to Jurong West for this launch: it’s family-oriented and relatively easy to get, compared to many others on the list.

11. Sengkang

The two Sengkang sites are relatively close, so we’ll treat them both under the same entry. The only notable difference between these sites is that one is next to Layar LRT, whereas the other is closer to Kupang LRT.  

We do notice, however, that the site closer to Kupang LRT appears nearer to a proposed Chinese Temple site – so those who prefer not to be near a place of worship might opt for the other (but nothing’s been built yet, so we don’t know for sure if there’s any noise issue).

While Sengkang is not the most developed town, this particular area is quite established – there are plenty of minimarts, coffee shops, and other heartland amenities in the immediate surroundings. So while you won’t have any major malls immediately nearby, you don’t need to travel out for most needs. Otherwise, both Kupang and Layar MRT will take you to Sengkang MRT (EWL) in just a few stops – Compass One is located near the MRT, and is the major mall servicing this neighbourhood.

The Fernvale Market and Food Centre is also within easy access, as is Seletar Mall. Sengkang is a town that’s started to pick up the pace in the past few years, and it’s far enough ahead that most won’t feel its past inconveniences anymore. 

There are a few primary schools in the vicinity (Fern Green Primary School, Sengkang Green Primary School, and Fernvale Primary School) so parents who want to move to the Sengkang area will certainly want to take a closer look.

12. Woodlands

Besides being near Marsiling Primary School and Marsiling MRT (NSL), the flats here will probably overlook Marsiling Park. For those on higher floors, it’s likely that you’ll have a nice view of the Johor Strait as well – so this is an immediate shoo-in for those who like greenery. The park is also right next to the site, making it easy to get to for walks and games.

The HDB enclave here has its own Sheng Siong (Block 301), while Marsiling MRT itself has an NTUC Fair Price. As Marsiling is just one train stop from Woodlands, residents here can also frequent Causeway Point, the major mall servicing this area. 

Given the greenery, the good train access, and the availability of bigger 5-room flats, this may be sufficient to tempt some to make the move north. Especially with Woodlands North Coast being in the works, and this town set to become the regional centre for the north. Being able to get to Johor Bahru easily may just be the cherry on top.

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