Two New GLS Sites Have Been Released In Bright Hill And Farrer Park — But One Could Benefit From Years Of Pent-Up Demand

The government has just announced two new government land sale (GLS) sites, albeit smaller plots compared to the sites that have been launched for sale so far this year.

Both sites are among the plots listed in the 1H2026 GLS programme: one of the sites, at Lorong Puntong in Sin Ming, is on the Confirmed List. The other site at Kitchener Link is on the Reserve List.

The new GLS site at Lorong Puntong is not a particularly large land parcel, but it’s likely to catch the eye of some developers due to its proximity to Bright Hill MRT station on the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL). This station will eventually be an interchange that also connects to the future Cross Island Line when it is developed in 2030.

At 46,102 sq ft, and with a gross plot ratio of 2.8, the development site could yield up to 140 new private homes.

Meanwhile, the site along Kitchener Link is on the Reserve List. This means that it is not immediately released for public tender. But will be if a developer submits a minimum bid that is acceptable to the government.

This 45,368 sq ft site is next to City Square Mall, which is connected to Farrer Park MRT station on the North-East Line (NEL). With a gross plot ratio of 3.0, if it is awarded, we could see it turn into a new 145-unit condominium.

Here’s what buyers should look out for when, or if, these sites are awarded to a developer.

X – put the 3D map of the Kitchener Link site here.
Caption: The GLS site along Kitchener Link is next to City Square Mall and Farrer Park MRT station.

The site at Lor Puntong is expected to draw interest among developers, especially because it’s smaller

According to Marcus Chu, CEO of ERA Singapore, the relatively compact size of the site may actually broaden its appeal and increase the number of developers eager to participate in the land bid. He reckons that bids for this site may be much more bullish than usual.

“A smaller site is more manageable for developers as it presents lower risk, and the price quantum would also be more palatable. Smaller developers who are unable to compete for larger sites could enter the fray,” he says.

For context regarding the appeal of smaller GLS sites among some developers: they pay Additional Buyers Stamp Duty (ABSD) when purchasing residential land. Developers pay an upfront 40% ABSD on the land price, but they can receive 35% remittance, on the condition that all units are built and sold within five years*.

*If at least 90% of the units are sold by the deadline, developers won’t lose the entire 35% remittance. Instead there’s a clawback on the remitted amount, based on the proportion of units sold.

However, regardless of the fact whether the new development consists of 140 units – or as high as 1,400 units – the five-year deadline remains the same. Thus, some developers may see smaller parcels like the Lorong Puntong site as a lower risk proposition.

Justin Quek, Deputy Group CEO of Realion (OrangeTee & ETC) Group, expects the tender for this site could attract between four and seven bids, with the highest bid possibly coming in at around $1,400 – $1,500 psf per plot ratio (ppr).

In general, demand for well-located residential sites has remained resilient as developers continue replenishing their land banks, says Wong Shanting, Head of Research at Newmark Singapore. “Given its smaller size and highly sought-after location, we expect it to be very well received among developers,” she says.

There is possible scarcity value when it comes to the Lor Puntong GLS site

Around the Bright Hill / Sin Ming neighbourhood, there is a relatively limited pipeline of new private homes to meet the housing demand from residents there and in nearby public housing estates.

The most recent new project in that area was Artisan 8 in 2025. A redevelopment of the former Sin Ming Centre, it was acquired in an enbloc deal by Apex Asia for $49 million in 2024.

Prior to the launch of Artisan 8, the last new project was the 1,206-unit Jadescape along Shun Fu Road, which launched for sale in 2018. Quek notes that beyond the upcoming launch of Thomson Reserve – another enbloc redevelopment, this time of the former Thomson View condo –  there’s been relatively few opportunities to purchase new homes in the area.

Meanwhile, the last time a GLS site in that area launched was back in 2015, and the site would eventually be redeveloped into the 288-unit Thomson Impressions, which is also along Lor Puntong.

The limited supply of new development sites in this neighbourhood is something that we have noticed in other mature residential estates and towns in recent years,  where relatively long gaps between new development launches accelerate pent-up demand.

The pool of demand will be influenced by price trends in the private residential market, but it also implies that developers can usually bank on a large and eager pool of buyers.

Family buyers likely to be the target market

Most market analysts, such as Wong of Newmark, expect the eventual project at Lor Puntong could be positioned to cater to owner-occupiers rather than investors.

She reckons that the likely 140-unit boutique development will lean towards families, especially those with school going children who want to be close to Ai Tong School, as well as HDB upgraders from the wider Bishan and Sin Ming areas.

In fact, the new GLS site is directly opposite Ai Tong School, and other primary schools in the vicinity include Ang Mo Kio Primary School, Catholic High School, and CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ School.

The area is already a highly desirable neighbourhood among families, who frequent places like Thomson Plaza and will find an upgrade to a new condo in a familiar neighbourhood particularly convenient and appealing.

“Located just opposite the popular Ai Tong School, the development will appeal to parents of children entering primary school soon. We can expect the winning developer to target this segment of the market by catering to their need for larger units,” says Chu of ERA.

He adds that potential buyers could also include right-sizers from nearby landed enclaves. These buyers may want to stay in the same area when right-sizing to a condo.

However, we did notice that there’s a place of worship also across the road from this land parcel. Some homebuyers may not like this, depending on how much noise and traffic is generated.

In addition, the surroundings don’t have much in the way of supporting residential enclaves, which could also impact future buyer pools. While there is MRT access, Brighthill is still a relatively long ride from places like Orchard – even if it’s a direct line.

Perhaps more importantly, the low unit count may not put off some buyers from the new project.

Broadly speaking, while smaller plots may inspire developers’ confidence, it may not be to the preference of most buyers, especially resale buyers.

While a 140-unit project can feel more exclusive, the smaller land size might result in a limited range condo facilities. Moreover, projects with low unit counts may see more volatile pricing at resale due to lower transaction volumes, according to previous analysis by Stacked.

At the same time, Chu opines that “the limited number of units, just 140, may increase development costs, as developers would lack economies of scale in construction. This could translate into higher prices, which developers may pass on to buyers”.

We also see a potential issue downstream as well, namely that with fewer homes there’s a chance that maintenance costs may end up being higher. But this is sometimes balanced out by having fewer condo facilities available.

All this being said, smaller projects do attract buyers who prefer privacy, and owner-occupiers will prize comfortable living over resale potential.

A future project may be good news for this land parcel

The launch of the new Lor Puntong GLS site comes on the heels of the highly anticipated launch of Thomson Reserve, the redevelopment of the former Thomson View condo which was acquired in an enbloc deal by a consortium of developers (UOL Group, Singapore Land, and CapitaLand) in 2025.

The new project, which is along Upper Thomson Road and less than 500m from the new GLS site, is expected to inject approximately 1,240 new private homes into the neighbourhood.

“Although modest in scale, the (Lor Puntong GLS) site has been launched at a timely juncture just ahead of the upcoming Thomson Reserve, signalling efforts to manage consumer appetite while offering an alternative housing option within the same vicinity,” says Wong of Newmark.

So, while the Lor Puntong GLS site is smaller in the context of Singapore’s overall housing pipeline, it will be closely watched due to several appealing attributes: its proximity to Bright Hill MRT station and Ai Tong School, and the high level of pent up demand for new private homes.

On the other hand, some buyers will be cautious given that the location is not the most central, and the smaller project size may incite some concerns down the road. How well received the eventual project will be depends on prevailing buyer sentiment towards smaller-sized condos.

While Lorong Puntong will likely receive most of the attention, the Kitchener Link GLS site remains on the radar.

Located next to City Square Mall and Farrer Park MRT station, this Reserve List site is in a mature city-fringe neighbourhood. The location offers easy access to the CBD, Novena and Little India, while also benefiting from the ongoing rejuvenation of the Kallang and Rochor areas.

That being said, we have observed that some residential projects here tend to cater to investors, especially landlords looking to capitalise on the large pool of tenants in this locale. The area is ideally positioned for tenants who frequently travel to the CBD, but don’t want to pay the steep rents for luxury and high-end residential projects in the CBD.

In our view, this is not the most family-friendly location with most of the surrounding developments being quite built-up and dense, and any project here could be a city fringe home for young professionals and couples. 

Unlike the Lor Puntong GLS site, this plot is on the Reserve List. That means it will only be released for tender if a developer submits an application with a minimum acceptable bid to URA.

Nonetheless, given its small size, any eventual development is also likely to take on a boutique character.