New housing areas will offer about 14,000 new homes in the North 

At the HDB Awards Ceremony on 22 October 2024, Minister for National Development Mr Desmond Lee announced plans to develop two new housing areas at Sembawang North and Woodlands North Coast. When fully developed, these two housing areas will offer around 14,000 new homes, including 12,000 public housing flats, helping to meet sustained housing demand. This will provide a sizeable supply of affordable homes for Singaporeans looking to live in the North, particularly for families who wish to stay close to their parents for mutual care and support. The first Build-To-Order (BTO) projects in these two housing areas will be launched in 2025, with the rest to follow progressively.

Sembawang North – Sembawang’s Newest Housing Area

2 Sembawang North, a 53-hectare site within Sembawang town, will deliver close to 10,000 housing units – 8,000 BTO flats and 2,000 private housing units, when fully developed. 

3 The homes in Sembawang North will be well-served by a comprehensive range of amenities, ensuring a quality living environment for both existing and future residents of Sembawang. To provide greater convenience and accessibility for residents, there are plans to develop new commercial facilities, healthcare services, schools, and places of worship. New recreational and green spaces will offer leisure opportunities for residents.

Sembawang’s newest housing area, Sembawang North, will yield about 8,000 BTO flats and 2,000 private housing units when fully developed.

Strengthening Sembawang’s Maritime Heritage 

4 Once home to the British Naval Base in the 1920s and later the Sembawang Shipyard, Sembawang has since maintained its maritime identity. Development of Sembawang New Town began in the mid-1990s, with HDB’s design strategies leveraging its rich naval history. 

5 In the next phase of the town’s development at Sembawang North, the design of housing developments and public spaces, including playgrounds and precinct pavilions, will reflect the town’s naval heritage and colonial architecture, such as those seen at the Former Admiralty House and Former Aggie Weston’s Royal Sailors’ Rest. 

 
(Left) Former Admiralty House [Credit: National Heritage Board]
(Right) Former Aggie Weston’s Royal Sailors’ Rest, which has pitched roofs, courtyard layouts and nautical elements [Credit: Urban Redevelopment Authority]

6 Drawing inspiration from the colonial bungalows, new BTO projects will feature design elements such as courtyard layouts, pitched roofs, and striking geometric patterns. Nautical elements will also be integrated into the street furniture, play structures, landscaping and paving treatments, and wayfinding signage in Sembawang North, to create community spaces that are reflective of the unique history of the area. 

7 A key feature of Sembawang North is the Community Wharves Link – a network of pedestrian connections which will link upcoming BTO projects. Featuring ‘docks’ for precinct facilities and activities, these connections will offer a pleasant and uninterrupted walking environment providing easy access to various amenities and green spaces.

The Community Wharves Link connects housing to amenities, creating a pleasant and continuous walking environment. 

New Neighbourhood Centre at the Heart of Sembawang North

8 A new Neighbourhood Centre is planned at the heart of the housing area, with an array of shops and dining options to meet residents’ daily needs, as well as ample spaces for community gatherings and interactions. Adjacent to the Neighbourhood Centre is a Community Avenue comprising a 1-hectare park lined with recreational facilities such as playgrounds and fitness stations, designed to energise the space and encourage residents to spend time outdoors. 

The Neighbourhood Centre and Community Avenue form the 'heart' of the new housing area, providing seamless access and convenience for residents.

9 The Community Avenue will also serve as a link between Sembawang’s existing developments in the south to potential future waterfront developments in the north. Residents will benefit from a comprehensive network of cycling paths and pedestrian walkways, improving connectivity to key facilities and transport nodes. 

Revitalising Woodlands North Coast as an Attractive Waterfront Destination

10 Woodlands North Coast will be transformed into a dynamic mixed-use waterfront destination, as part of HDB’s larger Remaking Our Heartland (ROH) plans for Woodlands announced in 2017. 

Woodlands North Coast, when fully developed, will yield about 4,000 BTO flats.

Distinctive New Public Housing in Woodlands North Coast

11 To provide more affordable options for young couples and families who wish to live in Woodlands town, HDB is ramping up the supply of public housing in Woodlands North Coast. The first BTO project will be launched in February 2025, and HDB will progressively launch the rest of the projects in the coming years. When fully developed, it will yield about 4,000 new homes across 21 hectares. 

12 Leveraging the area's natural landscape and hilly terrain, the BTO projects in Woodlands North Coast will offer a unique "Housing by the Woods" experience, with the blocks designed to maximise scenic views of Admiralty Park and Woodlands Waterfront. In addition to abundant green spaces, these housing developments will offer amenities such as eateries and shops for residents to enjoy. 

The “Housing by the Woods” projects in Woodlands North Coast will enjoy good views of Admiralty Park and Woodlands Waterfront, and abundant green spaces within the precincts.

 
Residents can enjoy lush green spaces within the “Housing by the Woods” projects and new amenities such as eating houses and shops.

13 Future residents of Woodlands North Coast will also benefit from the convenient access to the Woodlands MRT station and existing amenities in Woodlands Central via the upcoming 1.9km WoodsVista Gallery, a walking and cycling path developed by HDB and the National Parks Board (NParks). The first phase of WoodsVista Gallery will be constructed in tandem with UrbanVille @ Woodlands, a BTO project that is currently under construction and expected to be completed in 2026.

Multi-tiered and diverse native plantings at WoodsVista Gallery offer visitors varied opportunities to interact with nature. [Credit: National Parks Board]

New Amenities and Enhanced Connectivity

14 Agencies are also studying the potential of co-locating various facilities such as sports, community, healthcare and F&B uses within an integrated community hub for residents. More details will be announced later.

15 Other key upcoming developments in Woodlands North Coast include the industrial development Woodlands Gateway, and the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link, which have been developed in partnership with agencies such as JTC and the Land Transport Authority (LTA). Together, these will revitalise Woodlands into a vibrant mixed-use waterfront area and an attractive place to live, work and play. 

  
(Left) Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System Link [Credit: Land Transport Authority]
(Right) Woodlands Gateway [Credit: JTC]

Good Geographical Spread of Housing to Meet Different Needs 

16 The two new housing areas will add to the good geographical spread of public housing to meet the different needs of Singaporeans. HDB will continue to incorporate the rich heritage and distinct features of each town into the planning and design of the new housing areas, to enhance their unique character and identity while creating a quality living environment.