History of Ang Mo Kio
Ang Mo Kio is located in the North-East region of Singapore and is bounded by Yishun to the North, Sengkang to the North-East, Serangoon to the East and Bishan to the South. Ang Mo Kio was once an agricultural area with many undeveloped lands, swamps and forests.
Literally translating to “red-haired man’s bridge” in Hokkien, the name was believed to have been linked to Lady Jennifer Windsor who would stay by the bridge for the rest of her life. This was following the accidental death of her three children who were swept away at a nearby stream. This former rubber estate and pig and poultry farm were subsequently developed as a housing estate in 1973. By 1980, the development of Ang Mo Kio New Town was completed and today features a self-contained town centre, cultural, as well as community facilities.
Under the URA Draft Master Plan 2019, Ang Mo Kio will be rejuvenated with new housing precincts and amenities while retaining its current charm. Also, the developments of the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) and Cross Island Line (CRL) will see the additions of four new stations – Lentor and Mayflower MRT stations on the Thomson-East Coast Line and Bright Hill and Teck Ghee MRT stations on the Cross Island Line. Bright Hill will be an interchange station to the Thomson East Coast Line and Cross Island Line. Meanwhile, Ang Mo Kio MRT station will be upgraded to an interchange station on the North South and Cross Island lines.
What’s in Ang Mo Kio
Ang Mo Kio is one of the more mature housing estates in Singapore that is known for its delicious hawker food and vibrant town centre. Home to Ang Mo Kio Community Library, Ang Mo Kio Polyclinic, Market & Hawker Centre, food court and shopping malls, Ang Mo Kio town centre boasts a wide range of amenities, merchandise, food and entertainment options, as well as medical and banking facilities.
There are a number of shopping malls here such as Broadway Plaza, Djitsun Mall, Jubilee Square and AMK Hub. However, when it comes to connectivity, AMK Hub takes the cake as it is an integrated development that is connected to the Ang Mo Kio Bus Interchange and Ang Mo Kio MRT station. The mall counts NTUC FairPrice, Bank of China and UOB as among some of the anchor tenants. Meanwhile, Djitsun Mall offers four levels of dining, retail and edutainment and fitness experience with Harvey Norman, Yamaha Music School, The Ballet School and True Fitness as among some of its offerings.
For those who want to get into the pink of health, Ang Mo Kio Town Garden East offers a place for joggers and tai chi practitioners to enjoy the open space. Located just next to Ang Mo Kio MRT station, the park sits on a former rubber estate where a number of economically important trees such as nutmeg, rubber and cinnamon can still be found.
Alternatively, head on down to one of the largest urban parks in central Singapore at Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park. Here, the entire family can take part in water activities at the water playground or explore the rich flora and fauna species who now call the riverbank home such as the Common Bluetail damselfly and Common Scarlet dragonfly. Meanwhile, the open lawns make it ideal for a family picnic. Joggers and cyclists can also explore the picturesque trail within the 62-hectare park.
Ang Mo Kio in the next 10 years
According to the URA Master Plan 2019, Ang Mo Kio will be rejuvenated with new housing precincts at Lentor Hills and Kebun Baru that will be served by the upcoming Lentor and Mayflower MRT stations respectively via the Thomson East Coast Line. Meanwhile, Thomson Nature Park will open this year and will allow visitors to explore a nature trail within a 50-hectare park. In addition, Ang Mo Kio will be enhanced as a walking and cycling town. A 16km cycling network will be added to the existing 4km cycling loop by 2022 making it even more convenient for cyclists and pedestrians.
To ease commute time for commuters and pedestrians to the city, the authorities are embarking on the development of a North-South Corridor (NSC). Connecting residents from Woodlands, Sembawang, Yishun and Ang Mo Kio, the corridor will be Singapore’s first integrated transport corridor featuring continuous bus lanes and cycling trunk routes. When completed around 2026, it will feature dedicated bus lanes for express bus services which will reduce commute time to the city by up to 30 minutes.
Get the Guru View
Ang Mo Kio is a very mature estate and as such, it has all the amenities required within walking distance. From sporting facilities to shopping malls, Ang Mo Kio is a self-contained neighbourhood that is well connected to the rest of Singapore via the MRT, bus and park connector networks. While some may complain about buying in an area that is relatively older than say Sengkang or Punggol, the older flats here offer the luxury of space that new estates do not.
As such, there are two categories of buyers who may want to look to buy a home here – those who want the luxury of space offered at the older resale flats or those who do not mind paying slightly more for a new BTO flat that is located in a mature estate. While Ang Mo Kio is relatively well connected, the addition of Lentor and Mayflower MRT stations on the Thomson East Coast Line and Bright Hill and Teck Ghee MRT stations on the Cross Island Line will further enhance the attractiveness of the estate and boost property values in Ang Mo Kio.
Looking for a property in Ang Mo Kio? Find an agent to take the hassle out of your home search.
