Rental flats will blend in nicely, says MP

The quality of the estate won't be affected nor will peace be disturbed, said Sin Boon Ann, MP for Tampines GRC. He was trying to reassure residents who are unhappy with the construction of HDB rental flats in front of their block.

He said he will collaborate with HDB and residents from Block 885, which is in the vicinity of Tampines Street 83, to debunk the perception that rental flats are dirty, old and bad for the estate’s image.

He also added that it is essential that rental flats are near amenities. He said efforts will be taken to make things smooth for the residents, although the government still has the final say over where the rental flats will be sited.

“We'll be working very closely with the contractors, HDB and Town Councils and we'll be forming a committee which also will comprise residents to mitigate the effects of the noise pollution,” he said.

According to the MP, the new flats will be a new generation type, which will blend very nicely within the community.

Mr. Sin said that he did not believe that "one can visibly pick out these flats as rental flats".

Mr. Bernard Fernando, a resident living in Block 885, is one of those who will be affected by the construction of new flats.

He will lose the breeze and the view that he is currently enjoying. Together with fellow affected residents, Mr. Fernando met HDB officials and Mr. Sin recently to express his unhappiness over the development.

“They shouldn't build a towering block of 14 storeys right beside our 12-storey block. It doesn't really make sense. It will cut off the light and cut off the ventilation. If there is a need to build, we don't object to it, but build a lower block,” he said.

Some residents are equally upset, believing that the value of their homes will plunge once the rental flats are constructed.

However, some property agents said that this perception is highly unlikely.

“For example in Bukit Merah, you will see resale flats that are next to rental flats but the prices of these resale flats ... are still fetching very high resale prices,” said Mr. Eugene Lim, Associate Director of ERA Asia Pacific.