A Rare New BTO Next To A Major MRT Interchange Is Coming To Toa Payoh In 2026

If there’s one thing Singaporeans agree on when it comes to housing, it’s that being near an MRT station matters, in terms of public transport convenience, the area’s liveability, and other factors that make it a desirable factor.

In this case, the government has announced that it will launch new Build-To-Order flats next to Caldecott MRT Interchange, a major station which will connect two MRT lines – the Circle Line and the Thomson-East Coast Line (CCL and TEL, respectively).

This new BTO project, announced by the Ministry of National Development (MND) during the Committee of Supply debate on 4th March, is in the heart of Toa Payoh West and will be along Toa Payoh Rise.

“Increasing new housing supply in Toa Payoh is a positive move, given that it is one of Singapore’s oldest housing estates,” says Christine Sun, chief researcher & strategist of Realion (OrangeTee & ETC) Group.

For Toa Payoh, the addition of new public housing will help to increase the population of younger home-owners in the mature residential town, ensuring its long-term sustainability, she says.

Demand for homes in this upcoming project will be strong, and the new BTO project will certainly be one of the headline projects when it is released as part of the October 2026 BTO sales exercise.

We expect that given its unit mix and prime location, this could easily be classified as a Prime BTO project. The project’s classification will be revealed before the October BTO exercise.

It will comprise around 1,600 flats across five residential blocks, with 590 two-room Flexi flats and 580 four-room flats, as well as about 230 public rental flats. There will also be 240 units of Community Care Apartments (CCA) – a first for Toa Payoh – for seniors who wish to age independently in their community.

Here’s what else you need to know about this BTO development:

1. A rare MRT-adjacent BTO in a mature estate

To date, new BTO launches in mature estates have always been closely watched and highly over-subscribed, but this one stands out because of its proximity to Caldecott MRT Interchange.

It also won’t escape the notice of prospective buyers that Caldecott is two stops away from Steven MRT Interchange, which connects the TEL to the Downtown Line (DTL). For some, this connectivity could be seen as effectively providing three MRT lines within easy reach.

The scope of this public transport accessibility is wide, offering direct access to areas like Orchard Road, Marina Bay, and the city centre.

2. A new mixed-use development will be built next door.

Alongside the BTO launch, the government says that a new mixed-use development will also be built. This project will incorporate residential units, a commercial podium, and new community spaces.

According to Minister Chee Hong Tat, the scale of the new mixed-use development could be similar to Woodleigh Mall in Bidadari. Mixed-use developments have become more common in newer towns designed and mostly developed by HDB in recent years.

The last mixed-use site near/or integrated to an MRT station that was sold by the government was the Hougang Central site next to Hougang MRT station on the North-East Line.

It was awarded to a consortium comprising UOL Group and CapitaLand, who submitted the winning bid of $1.5 billion, or $1,179 psf per plot ratio (ppr), when the tender closed last December.

3. Amenities planned within the development

The retail options in this upcoming mixed-use project will complement a smaller retail offering in the recently announced BTO project, which will feature a food court, fast food restaurant, a supermarket, a childcare centre and shops.

“With more housing completions in recent years in areas such as Bidadari, Marymount, and Serangoon, the increase in retail options (in Toa Payoh West/Caldecott) is timely to meet the increased demand among residents,” says Sun.

The BTO project itself will also include several community features. An Active Ageing Centre will also be included; this makes sense as there are residents living in the Community Care Apartments here.

This will make the project more viable for children living aging parents, as well as (in the future) right-sizers from the private properties nearby.

4. This is part of a broader transformation around Mount Pleasant

The upcoming BTO is also quite close to the new Mount Pleasant housing area. This area was earmarked for redevelopment when the former Old Police Academy moved out in 2023. Read our coverage of that news here.

This means the surrounding neighbourhood still has room to evolve over the next decade and we’d expect more new housing, infrastructure, and amenities over the coming years.

This places Toa Payoh West in an interesting transitional zone: it’s an older estate in many ways, but also shares some traits of a newer town with room for growth. That puts it in a “best of both worlds” scenario, since it’s mature enough to be convenient, but new enough that there’s more to look forward to.

Eugene Lim, key executive officer of ERA Singapore, notes that in 2025, two new BTO projects were launched within the town, namely Mount Pleasant Crest (1,348 units), the first HDB development in the new Mount Pleasant estate, as well as Toa Payoh Ascent (741 units), also located near Caldecott MRT station.

Separately, we also saw Kim Keat Crest (1,151 units) being offered as a Plus project during the February BTO sales exercise this year.

5. New public housing supply in a location where newer flats are scarce

Newer HDB flats in Toa Payoh are relatively limited. Because Toa Payoh was one of the earliest HDB towns, much of the housing stock in the area dates back several decades. This also means newer flats near MRT stations are comparatively rare.

This is set to change. Over the next decade, the government plans for more than 10,000 additional homes to be launched across Toa Payoh West and Mount Pleasant. This will gradually reshape the housing profile of the area, likely turning it into a new, full-fledged estate in its own right.

For applicants considering the project in October 2026, the key appeal will be the combination of strong transport connectivity, a relatively quiet environment (for now), and the potential for future growth. As such, we wouldn’t be surprised if application rates are very high, and this becomes one of the most contested areas later in the year.

“Given its location, the new Caldecott BTO flats are likely to fall under the Prime category. This would be similar to nearby projects such as Mount Pleasant Crest and Toa Payoh Ascent, both of which are classified as Prime flats. As such, the new development could also carry a subsidy clawback rate of around 12%, in line with these projects,” says Lim.