Five old housing blocks in Tiong Bahru will be used under HDB’s Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme, even though they were supposed to be torn down in 1995.
According to media reports, Blocks 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 along Tiong Bahru Road will serve as temporary accommodations for couples who are waiting for the completion of their new flats.
The 120 three to four-room flats at these blocks are part of the 800 units, including others in Queenstown and Bukit Merah that will be renovated and used for the programme starting in 2015.
Under this scheme, these flats will be leased to first-timer married couples with children aged 16 and below. Second-timer couples, divorced or widowed parents with children can also avail of this programme.
At present, these blocks are being retrofitted by HDB. Ongoing works include landscaping, external repainting and reinstating footpaths, as well as installing lights and water heaters in the units.
Originally built by the Housing Board’s predecessor, the Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT), these five blocks are among the 138 remaining SIT blocks.
Under the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA)’s Master Plan 2014, the site is intended for residential use and some parts will make way for the widening of Zion Road and Tiong Bahru Road.
Muneerah Bee, Senior Journalist at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact her about this or other stories emailmuneerah@propertyguru.com.sg
