Back lane in Hougang used as shortcut for years suddenly fenced off, residents puzzled

A back lane in an Hougang estate, accessible to the public for years, had its access suddenly blocked off by a fence and gate in late October 2025 overnight

Handwritten notes on the fence and gate informed passersby that it was "private property".

Residents, who have been using it as a shortcut to reach the main road and nearby bus stop, were left wondering why a supposedly public strip of land was now made private and gated, seemingly out of the blue.

Publicly accessible for years

The back lane in question is located near Hougang Avenue 2, behind 10A to 10F Robey Crescent.

Measuring 92.4 sq m in land area, it conveniently connects residents around Robey Crescent, and from the wider Poh Huat estate to the main road via Jalan Arif, near unit 63.

On Oct. 30, a resident, Alex (not his real name), wrote to Mothership, sharing that he noticed a gate and fence had been put up at the entryways of the back lane while on his usual walk with his dog around the estate.

A handwritten sign informed the public that the back lane was "private property".

Alex shared that for the past 14 years, he had passed by the lane and was under the impression that it was a public walkway.

Many residents use it as a thoroughfare, he said.

A still from Google Maps, taken in August 2022, showed the back lane being used as such.

Puzzled

Mothership visited the estate on Oct. 31 and saw that the hinged gate behind 10E and 10F Robey Crescent was secured via a pad lock.

It was a similar shade of green as the guardrails adjacent to it.

On the other end of the back lane, behind 10A Robey Crescent, a metal fence was erected.

Unlike the green gate, this metal fence had no hinges or doors and was bolted down to the ground at its base.

The handwritten "private property" notes were no longer there on either the fence or the gate.

Detour involves more flights of stairs

Residents that Mothership spoke to expressed similar confusion and concerns about the now-blocked off back lane.

The back lane shortcut involves one flight of stairs, located at the back of 10E and 10F Robey Crescent.

For the shortest detour, residents would have to walk along the canal from the back of 10A Robey Crescent until they reached Jalan Arif, near unit 45.

This route involves two flight of stairs — one along the canal, and one when turning from the canal up to Jalan Arif.

Measured on Google Maps, the distance between the back of 10A Robey Crescent and the bus stop via the back lane was about 160m.

With the detour, the distance was roughly 260m.

For an average, able-bodied male in his late 20s, the detour took around four minutes.

Elderly and students most inconvenienced

While this does not sound like a lot, a resident, Thomas (not his real name), opined that the additional flights of stairs along the detour might pose greater inconvenience to the elderly.

According to Thomas' wife, prior to being fenced off, the lane served a substantial number of residents, since there were a limited number other connections to the main road in the immediate vicinity.

The next nearest connection is at the end of Park Villas Terrace.

Thomas estimates that more than a 100 households may be affected by the back lane closure.

One resident said he was not as affected since he drove most of the time, but his children had complained as they now had to go around to get to the bus stop during their school commute.

When Mothership arrived at Jalan Arif, one resident, Soh, was seen curiously looking around.

He later shared that he was puzzled by the sudden closure of the back lane.

He has been a resident in the area for 28 years and was one of the residents who benefited from the convenience of the back lane.

Soh lamented about the sudden closure.

In one photo that Soh showed, the note which originally hung on the fence behind 10A Robey Crescent was seen on the ground with the words "10F" added to it in red.

10F Robey Crescent

Considering how the houses at Robey Crescent were numbered "10" and lettered sequentially, Mothership approached 10F Robey Crescent to ask about the note.

A man, presumably a resident of the unit, declined to say much, but provided a phone number and directed any queries to it.

He pointed out that he was also affected by the blocked access.

Privately-owned land

Checks on the Urban Redevelopment Authority's (URA) website revealed that the land lot on which the the Robey Crescent back lane sits is designated for residential use.

According to property ownership records tied to the land lot, the back lane is indeed privately-owned.

The owner is a company, Island Chartered Private Limited.

The land is held under a 999 years lease, which commenced on Dec. 12, 1875 and will expire in 2874.

There is one recorded transfer that was registered in 2010.

Business records indicate that Island Chartered is a real estate development company, with secondary activities in financial leasing.

Phone number

Searches on Google revealed that the office number for Island Chartered was the same as the one provided by the man from 10F Robey Crescent.

Search results also tied the number to a company called Alan Koh Trading Co. Private Limited.

Business records showed that Alan Koh Trading Co. is a business construction company.

When Mothership phoned the number, it was directed by the respondent to send queries via email.

Mothership has since reached out via email for more information.

Left accessible as a feature?

The resident, Thomas, provided his take regarding the "public land" perception.

Speculating on the context, he shared that it was possible that when land around the estate was first divided for development, certain parts of it were surrendered by the landowner to the government for public use, such as to construct roads.

The rest, like the land parcel on which the contentious back lane sits, remained under private ownership.

Thomas further surmised that the back lane might have originally been marketed to vying homeowners along 10A to 10F Robey Crescent as a convenient means of access to the main road, which was why it was left accessible until now.

Mothership understands that a similar back lane can be found behind 10K to 10N, but the land lot has since been divided and sold to the respective homeowners.

Mothership also understands that a similar sale of the land lot in question may have been broached, but the respective homeowners did not intend to buy it over.

Metal fence cut at base several weeks later

On Nov. 13, Alex updated that one of the supporting beams of the metal fence behind 10A Robey Crescent had been cut from its base plate.

Two stalks of flowers were also tied to the fence, but were later cleared.

However, the green gate behind 10E and 10F Robey Crescent was still locked.

Mothership understands based on information from a resident that the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has since confirmed, after checking with the Singapore Land Authority (SLA), that the back lane is on private land.

As such, the installation of the fences is not a planning infringement.

Mothership also understands that LTA has advised pedestrians to "utilise the alternative footpath in the estate to reach the bus stop at Hougang Avenue 2".

Public agencies are reviewing situation: MP Kenneth Tiong

Responding to queries from Mothership, Aljunied GRC Member of Parliament Kenneth Tiong said he is aware of the issue.

Tiong shared that several residents had contacted him about the installation of the gates.

He acknowledged the inconvenience it has caused to the residents who "regularly use this pathway to access public transport and nearby amenities".

"I have been in correspondence with the relevant authorities, including the Land Transport Authority and Singapore Land Authority, to look into this matter and determine the appropriate course of action. The public agencies are currently reviewing the situation," Tiong revealed.

"I will continue monitoring this issue closely and engaging with both the residents and the relevant authorities until it is resolved," he added.

Top image via Mothership, Google Maps