If you have been an avid follower of the quarterly Built-to-order (BTO) sales launches, you would be quick to notice that Tengah has been on the list of options for the past few months, offering brand new flats in the thousands. Many have raised their eyebrows when it comes to the sale prices of flats in Tengah, with some rivaling or surpassing similar sized comparisons in more mature estates like Woodlands.
While Tengah on Google Maps can seem pretty bleak with nothing prominent to the naked eye as of yet, the Housing Development Board (HDB) has been playing an active role in marketing Tengah as “the town of the future”, promising the latest renditions of smart HDB flats fitted with green features and smart technologies to meet the needs of a technologically inclined generation while combating the imminent threats of climate change.
It may be hard for most Singaporeans to imagine or fathom whether the completed Tengah in 10 years could truly live up to the promises made in the headlines we see today. Come along with us to explore what are the hidden treasures charted for Tengah’s future and make your own judgement!
1. Cars are hidden away out of sight
Perhaps a happy coincidence, HDB had announced that part of Tengah’s unique feature would be the car-free living environment, in conjunction with its goal of sustainability. In the artist impressions released, Tengah seems straight out of a sci-fi utopian society movie series, with cars and buses hidden underground and lush green spaces forming the base of Tengah’s development. For the health junkie, this is your perfect town to live in with no safety hazards posed on the roads now that cars are tucked away.
For parents, raising your kids in these eco-friendly spaces would inevitably inculcate the value of sustainability and the importance of being eco-conscious, which are crucial as they one day become leaders of tomorrow, with one of the core issues revolving around protecting and preserving Earth’s resources.
2. Calling all gardeners at heart
Ever since COVID-19 made landfall, many Singaporeans had turned to gardening as a form of therapy amidst lockdowns and restrictive measures put in place. Botanical retailers have reported increase in sales by up to 25% higher than any other years prior, spurred by the desire to reconnect back with nature as a way of attaining peace.
While not everyone has the luxury of owning a private backyard where plants and even fruit trees can grow freely, Tengah might just do the trick for you! Community gardening has sprung up across the island, and many have taken favour of the activity and hence will be incorporated into Tengah’s developmental plans. Currently, community gardens go by a ballot system where interested gardeners have to bid for due to limited land space.
Nevertheless, Tengah will strive to ensure that every home would be awarded a chance to partake in community gardening activities. To spruce up the natural environment up even more, matured trees including the pink trumpet tree species and golden gardenias amongst others will line the streets. Should air travel not recover by then (hopefully not), perhaps you could take pictures with these trees to mimic that of sakura trees found in Japan.
3. Leisure comes to the West
The East has always been known for being Singapore’s local leisure destination, with Wild Wild Wet! and East Coast Park being some of the most prominent. Things are about to be different, with the element of leisure added to the redevelopment of Tengah. With the introduction of Singapore’s first ever Central Park Prototype which comes with a water bank and tree bodies, fit for leisure activities such as kayaking. There has been word that there will even be an amphitheater somewhere! How can someone not be thrilled at the thought of living in such a town?
Without a doubt, there will be your typical amenities such as a sports hub, community centre and healthcare facility, resembling the current town plan as seen in Punggol which is also one of Singapore’s youngest towns!
As part of Singapore’s plan to decentralize its population away from the core regions like Orchard Road, satellite towns like Jurong Gateway will serve the lifestyle needs of the neighbouring regions including Tengah, requiring only a short 10-minute bus ride to access lifestyle malls. The new Jurong Region MRT Line would connect Tengah to the rest of the main island, so fret not, Tengah will not be a deserted faraway island like Tekong.
If you are a young couple looking to hunt for a home with a budget, definitely do add Tengah to your list of considerations! While it can definitely be a little intimidating to place your bets and ballot for a unit in an undeveloped plot of land with only a promise accompanied with artistic impressions, we believe that Tengah has plenty of untapped potential.
With Singapore’s demand for land on the rise due to increasing pressures from foreign influx and preference for budget-friendlier public homes, it is only an eventually before Tengah becomes one of the densely populated towns! Would you consider Tengah in your next BTO ballot?
