Bukit Panjang will be upgraded

One of the first few estates that will benefit from the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme is the Bukit Panjang estates. The programme aims to upgrade older HDB estates, and turn them into a much class and advanced estates.

Approximately 1,700 homes will benefit from the upgrade and nearly $6 million has been reserved to slick up the Cashew division in the area.

More jogging and cycling tracks, covered residents and linkways’ corners are planned to be constructed.

Three months ago, Mah Bow Tan, the National development Minister, said the HDB and its ministry would carry programmes, like the Home Improvement and Neighbourhood Renewal programme and lift upgrading programmes, as part of the efforts by the government to boost and add spending in the Economy.

Prime Minster Lee Hsien Loong was the one who announced the nationwide Neighbourhood Renewal Programme in 2007 in his National Day Rally. The programme aims to improve the value of neighbourhoods and homes by way of estate renewal projects and upgrading.

Though the programme is free, still, the residents need to vote for it. Before the constituency will continue with the programme, a 75 percent vote is required.

The residents are encouraged to take responsibility and ownership of the programme, said by Vivian Balakrishnan, a member of Parliament for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC and the Community development, Sports and Youth Minister.

The minister desires ideas that “bubble up from the ground” rather than work on something that was an idea from the resident’s committee or from an architect.

“The last thing I want is to create a white elephant or, worse, create something that unwittingly inconveniences or creates disamenities”, she said.

Mr. Thusara Dharmapala, chairman of one of Cashew’s resident’s committees, said residents had demanded for more facilities such as carparks and barbecue pits.