HDB launches Silver Upgrading Programme starting with four precincts in Ang Mo Kio to enhance senior living

In line with Age Well SG, HDB will launch the Silver Upgrading Programme (SUP), to help seniors age-in-place more comfortably by upgrading existing HDB precincts with higher densities of seniors to include senior-centric features. The programme will be launched in four precincts within Ang Mo Kio Town, before expanding to include the other 22 precincts in Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Merah, Queenstown, and Toa Payoh over the next five years.

Making Precincts More Senior-Friendly Through Upgrading

2 Senior-friendly enhancements under the SUP will be tailored for each precinct. They could include new active ageing facilities like therapeutic gardens and fitness trails, barrier-free access, rest areas along pathways, as well as dementia-friendly elements to aid in navigation. In addition, 3-Generation playgrounds, combining play areas for children and fitness equipment for adults and seniors, could be introduced to promote inter-generational interaction. These senior-friendly enhancements will improve the living environment, where seniors can stay active and move around independently within the community.

3 Such senior-friendly enhancements will be included in future projects under the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP)¹. However, as some older precincts that had undergone upgrading in the past do not qualify for NRP, the new SUP will target such older precincts to ensure that they can also enjoy these senior-friendly enhancements. Precincts selected for SUP are prioritised based on a higher proportion of soon-to-be seniors (aged 55 years old and above) and seniors (aged 65 years old and above), compared to the national average. The programme will be fully funded by the Government.

4 Four precincts in Chong Boon, within Ang Mo Kio Town, will be the first to participate in the SUP (refer to Annex A for details of their locations). They will also benefit from a comprehensive rejuvenation, with concurrent upgrading works under the Land Transport Authority's (LTA) Silver Zone² initiatives and HDB’s Remaking Our Heartland (ROH) programme.

5 HDB has engaged a design consultant to collaborate closely with, on the design and scope of enhancement works to be carried out in four different precincts in Chong Boon. Key learning points from these first four precincts will guide the implementation of SUP for subsequent precincts.

Artist Impression of a therapeutic garden at Chong Boon Heights with sensory planting and spaces for contemplative activities. (Credit: A D Lab Pte Ltd)

Artist Impression of a therapeutic garden at Chong Boon Heights with sensory planting and spaces for contemplative activities. (Credit: A D Lab Pte Ltd)

Co-Creating with Residents in SUP Precincts

6 HDB will work with the relevant partners to engage residents to better understand their needs and seek their views on the enhancements they hope to see in their precincts. A Community Improvement Walk (CIW) will be organised to allow seniors to share their feedback. For instance, on 25 August 2024, some 30 seniors living in Ang Mo Kio participated in a CIW, sharing inputs on suggestions that they hope to see in the enhancements within the Chong Boon precincts. HDB will review their feedback, and work with the appointed consultant on the upgrading plans.

7 The SUP works for the Chong Boon precincts are slated to commence in the second quarter of 2025, and expected to complete in the second half of 2026.

8 SUP will progressively be extended to an additional 22 precincts in Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Merah, Queenstown, and Toa Payoh over the next five years, with all works estimated to be completed by 2029.

Creating an Inclusive Living Environment for Our Seniors

9 HDB is committed to enhancing the liveability of our homes and neighbourhoods, and create an environment where seniors can live and age-in-place independently within their communities.

¹Introduced in August 2007, the NRP focuses on improvements at the block and precinct level, for blocks built up to 1999. The improvement items for each project are tailored based on residents’ feedback on the features they hope to see in their neighbourhood. Examples of block-level improvements that could be carried out under NRP include Residents’ Corners and seating areas in the common spaces within the block. Precinct-level improvements could include drop-off porches, covered linkways, fitness corners, playgrounds and landscaping.

² Residential areas with a high proportion of seniors are designated as Silver Zones with a reduced speed limit of 30km/h to 40km/h. Features that slow motorists down are also introduced, such as S-shared roads (chicanes), lanes with reduced width and pinch points on roads (deliberate narrowing of the road at some points).

Silver Upgrading Programme to be Rolled Out in 26 Precincts in Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Merah, Queenstown, and Toa Payoh to Support Ageing-in-Place