Jurong East's first new EC in 30 years is coming, but under new rules

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The Jurong East Avenue 1 Executive Condominium site is expected to yield around 735 homes and is the only EC site on the 2H2026 Government Land Sales Confirmed List. The site is scheduled to be launched for tender in December 2026, marking the first EC land offering in Jurong East in around 30 years. It will come under the revised EC rules, including a 10-year Minimum Occupation Period, full privatisation after 15 years from TOP, no Deferred Payment Scheme and greater priority for first-time buyers. The higher $18,000 household income ceiling will also apply.

Jurong East is finally getting another Executive Condominium site. For buyers in the west, particularly those hoping to upgrade without leaving the area, the Jurong East Avenue 1 site is immediately noteworthy.

But this will not be an EC built under the old playbook. Buyers will face a 10-year Minimum Occupation Period, a longer wait for full privatisation and no Deferred Payment Scheme. At the same time, the higher $18,000 income ceiling will allow more households to apply, while first-time buyers will receive substantially greater priority.

Together, these changes make this a very different proposition from earlier EC launches, particularly for HDB upgraders planning their financing and first-time buyers who may now have a better chance of securing a unit.

The Jurong East Avenue 1 site is expected to yield around 735 homes. It is the only EC site included in the Government’s confirmed land-sale programme for the second half of 2026 and is scheduled to be launched for tender in December, although the exact date has yet to be confirmed. The previous EC site in Jurong East was developed into Westmere, whose 99-year lease began in 1996 and which was completed in 1999.

The site is near the future Toh Guan MRT station on the Jurong Region Line and is within reach of the Jurong Lake District, Singapore’s largest mixed-use business district outside the city centre. For HDB upgraders in the west, it could provide an opportunity to move into an EC while remaining close to their existing schools, workplaces and family networks.

Together, the EC sites on the two 2026 Confirmed Lists are expected to yield around 1,370 homes. Jurong Lake District is also entering another period of development. The Town Hall Link white site could eventually contribute up to 1,200 private homes alongside offices, shops and other uses.

On 8 May 2026, MND announced several changes to the Executive Condominium scheme. These include extending the Minimum Occupation Period from five to 10 years, delaying full privatisation from year 10 to year 15, and removing the Deferred Payment Scheme. More units will also be prioritised for first-time buyers. The changes apply to EC sites with land tender closing dates on or after 8 May 2026. Since the Jurong East site is expected to tender around December 2026, its tender will close after the cutoff and the new rules will apply.

The removal of the Deferred Payment Scheme (DPS) may have the most immediate financial impact. Under DPS, buyers previously paid 20% upfront and could defer the remaining 80% until the project reached its Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP), which was especially useful for buyers with an existing home loan who couldn’t comfortably manage two loan repayments at once. With DPS no longer available, buyers of this EC will need to use the Normal Payment Scheme, paying progressively as construction advances, similar to a private condominium.

The longer MOP creates a different kind of commitment. It will run for 10 years from the EC’s TOP, during which owners cannot sell the unit, rent out the whole home or buy another residential property. After the MOP, the EC can be sold to Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents, but it will become fully privatised only after 15 years.

First-time buyers will also receive greater priority. Under the revised rules, 90% of the units will be set aside for first-timer families at launch, up from 70%, and the priority period will last two years instead of one month. This may give first-timers a better chance of securing a unit, while leaving fewer initial options for second-time buyers.

If you still own your HDB flat when you buy this EC, the timing of your sale will become more important. Under the Normal Payment Scheme, your EC loan will be disbursed progressively as construction milestones are completed. If your existing flat has not yet been sold, some of these repayments may overlap with your current home loan. Your outstanding loan and other financial commitments could also affect how much a bank is prepared to lend you, so it is worth obtaining an In-Principle Approval before committing to the purchase.

The income ceiling for new EC purchases has also increased from $16,000 to $18,000 for EC sites with tender closing dates on or after 24 August 2026, so the higher ceiling will apply to the Jurong East Avenue 1 site. If your household income sits between the old and new ceilings, this project may be within reach in a way an EC launch earlier in 2026 wouldn’t have been.

Suppose your household income is $17,000 a month. Under the old $16,000 EC ceiling, you wouldn’t have qualified to apply for a new EC. Under the new $18,000 ceiling, you meet the income requirement for this project, although you must still satisfy the other EC eligibility conditions. The higher ceiling does not automatically make you eligible for a CPF Housing Grant, which is assessed separately. If you previously bought a subsidised home, you may also need to account for a resale levy.

For buyers hoping to remain in the west, the Jurong East Avenue 1 site will be one to watch. The higher $18,000 income ceiling opens the door to more households, while the revised allocation gives first-timer families a stronger chance of securing a unit.

For HDB upgraders, the central question is whether the Normal Payment Scheme and 10-year MOP fit your finances and longer-term plans. Before the project eventually launches, use the time to check your eligibility, obtain an In-Principle Approval, and consider how the timing of your existing flat sale and any resale levy will affect your budget.