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A new residential development at Farrer Park will be launched soon, the Housing and Development Board (HDB), Sport Singapore (SportSG) and Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), jointly announced on April 25.
1,600 new HDB flats at Farrer Park
Some 1,600 new HDB flats will be launched in three years' time to meet the demand for public housing in Singapore.
The site where these HDB flats will be built on is a 10-hectare brown field site bounded by Dorset Road, Keng Lee Road, Hampshire Road and Race Course Road.
The site has been earmarked for residential use in the Master Plan since 1998.
The development will retain the sporting heritage of this area. In order to do so, agencies have been speaking to various stakeholders since 2018.
The outcome of these discussions led to the inclusion of sports and recreational facilities in this upcoming estate.
Here's the conceptual plan for the site designated for redevelopment:
What to expect?
Taking the feedback from residents and members of Friends of Farrer Park into consideration, about 20 per cent of the site will be set aside as open spaces for sports and recreational uses.
This will include an approximately 1.2-hectare central green space comprising a field and park, extended via a precinct green.
The existing boxing gym will be retained and converted to a multi-purpose community sporting space.
As the gym was the former training ground for the Singapore Amateur Boxing Association and venue for boxing tournaments, government agencies will ensure that works to the building will capture the architectural character and retain key features of the building.
Sports facilities will be incorporated within the multi-storey car park in the estate, the press release added.
It will be specially designed so that the ground floor can be set aside for sporting activities, and the facilities will complement the other facilities around the estate such as playgrounds and fitness corners.
Residents can also look forward to a new jogging track that will weave through the entire new housing estate, to connect the various sports and recreational facilities.
Due to technical considerations, the agencies have concluded that it is not cost-effective to retain the Farrer Park Swimming Complex as the infrastructure is dated and in need of an overhaul.
Instead, a new sports centre will replace the current swimming complex and will include swimming pools among other facilities.
Notably, this HDB estate is also near City Square Mall, Tekka Market and KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
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