Woodlands Checkpoint to be expanded, 9 HDB blocks in Marsiling will be acquired

[BabyBlade]

SINGAPORE - The Woodlands Checkpoint will be expanded, in a move that will see nine Housing Board blocks nearby acquired.

Blocks 210 to 218 at Marsiling Crescent/Lane will be acquired as part of the massive redevelopment and expansion.

HDB said this covers 732 sold flats, 53 rental flats, one rental kiosk, six rental shops and one rental eating house.

The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) which announced updated plans for the checkpoint on Thursday (May 26), said the expansion will address traffic congestion and meet a projected 40 per cent increase in traffic volumes by 2050.

In 2017, the ICA had said that the land checkpoint would be expanded to take in the Old Woodlands Town Centre.

The checkpoint has to be extended further, the authority said on Thursday, noting that travel volume at Woodlands has returned to more than 90 per cent of pre-pandemic levels during weekends with the full reopening of land borders since April 1.

Traffic volume is expected to return to the daily average of 300,000 travellers soon, and continue to increase thereafter, it added.

"If the overall capacity is not increased, the travel time for vehicular traffic could increase by more than 60 to 70 per cent during peak periods by 2050," ICA said.

In a media briefing, ICA's Deputy Commissioner Hsu Sin Yun said: "The main aim of this extension of Woodlands Checkpoint is to bring the clearance time during peak hours from the 60 minutes pre-Covid to 15 minutes eventually, even considering the increase in traffic that we project coming to the Checkpoint."

HDB said flat owners at Blocks 212 to 218 will be offered the same benefits as those under the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (Sers), including compensation based on the market value of their flats and the option to buy a new flat with a fresh 99-year lease.

Residents will have to move out by the second quarter of 2028.

About 1,100 replacement flats will be built at Woodlands Street 13. Construction will begin in the third quarter of 2023 and should be completed by the fourth quarter of 2027.

 

A study is ongoing to come up with an optimal design to clear heavy goods vehicles and motorcycles at the checkpoint, ICA said.

As part of the expansion, the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) will be extended and upgraded to channel traffic directly to and from the Old Woodlands Town Centre extension, the authority added.

The surrounding local road network will also be upgraded, it said.

Beyond alleviating congestion, ICA said the extension aims to significantly reduce travel time - by as much as four times - by incorporating greater automation and flexi-lanes that can be toggled to either clear cars or motorcycles.

The extension will also allow vehicle checks to be conducted in an area away from the main parts of the checkpoint, in a move to boost security.

9 blocks of residents in Marsiling celebrating! 😅

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/9-hdb-blocks-in-marsiling-to-make-way-for-woodlands-checkpoint-expansion

[Spidey10]

4 minutes ago, BabyBlade said:

SINGAPORE - The Woodlands Checkpoint will be expanded, in a move that will see nine Housing Board blocks nearby acquired.

Blocks 210 to 218 at Marsiling Crescent/Lane will be acquired as part of the massive redevelopment and expansion.

HDB said this covers 732 sold flats, 53 rental flats, one rental kiosk, six rental shops and one rental eating house.

The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) which announced updated plans for the checkpoint on Thursday (May 26), said the expansion will address traffic congestion and meet a projected 40 per cent increase in traffic volumes by 2050.

In 2017, the ICA had said that the land checkpoint would be expanded to take in the Old Woodlands Town Centre.

The checkpoint has to be extended further, the authority said on Thursday, noting that travel volume at Woodlands has returned to more than 90 per cent of pre-pandemic levels during weekends with the full reopening of land borders since April 1.

Traffic volume is expected to return to the daily average of 300,000 travellers soon, and continue to increase thereafter, it added.

"If the overall capacity is not increased, the travel time for vehicular traffic could increase by more than 60 to 70 per cent during peak periods by 2050," ICA said.

In a media briefing, ICA's Deputy Commissioner Hsu Sin Yun said: "The main aim of this extension of Woodlands Checkpoint is to bring the clearance time during peak hours from the 60 minutes pre-Covid to 15 minutes eventually, even considering the increase in traffic that we project coming to the Checkpoint."

HDB said flat owners at Blocks 212 to 218 will be offered the same benefits as those under the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (Sers), including compensation based on the market value of their flats and the option to buy a new flat with a fresh 99-year lease.

Residents will have to move out by the second quarter of 2028.

About 1,100 replacement flats will be built at Woodlands Street 13. Construction will begin in the third quarter of 2023 and should be completed by the fourth quarter of 2027.

 

A study is ongoing to come up with an optimal design to clear heavy goods vehicles and motorcycles at the checkpoint, ICA said.

As part of the expansion, the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) will be extended and upgraded to channel traffic directly to and from the Old Woodlands Town Centre extension, the authority added.

The surrounding local road network will also be upgraded, it said.

Beyond alleviating congestion, ICA said the extension aims to significantly reduce travel time - by as much as four times - by incorporating greater automation and flexi-lanes that can be toggled to either clear cars or motorcycles.

The extension will also allow vehicle checks to be conducted in an area away from the main parts of the checkpoint, in a move to boost security.

9 blocks of residents in Marsiling celebrating! 😅

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/9-hdb-blocks-in-marsiling-to-make-way-for-woodlands-checkpoint-expansion

...I thot G wan us to go car lite, hence there should be lower volume of cars travelling between the 2 countries....but here say differently. Like G is not expecting the car volume to drop in the future but to increase....hhhmmm...i dunno where the G wan to drive us to....

[13177]

Huat ah for these marsiling flats owners. Can profit gao gao from selling their SERS flat like the recent AMK SERS. And get a fresh lease of BTO flat.

[13177]

3 minutes ago, Spidey10 said:

...I thot G wan us to go car lite, hence there should be lower volume of cars travelling between the 2 countries....but here say differently. Like G is not expecting the car volume to drop in the future but to increase....hhhmmm...i dunno where the G wan to drive us to....

Maybe G expect to have more foreigners cars coming in? Lol.

[macrosszero]

Expand for what when they don’t always open all the customs booths even when traffic is heavy?

[13177]

3 minutes ago, Macrosszero said:

Expand for what when they don’t always open all the customs booths even when traffic is heavy?

To those flat owners, doesnt matter they expand for what la, since their flat can get SERS good enough liao.

Edited May 26, 2022 by 13177

[Spidey10]

16 minutes ago, 13177 said:

Maybe G expect to have more foreigners cars coming in? Lol.

3.2 to 1...ouch! by 2050....u can imagine..

[zipping]

not much use if JB side dun expand.......

[13177]

17 minutes ago, zipping said:

not much use if JB side dun expand.......

JB side not our problem lo, sg side expand for JB side to come in ok liao. You see even airport expand so many terminals, so woodlands custom also must expand la.

Anyway, good for this cluster of HDB to move, since these flats are the nearest to the custom, so people staying in these flats have to endure the noisy traffic noise from the custom as early as 4am. Think a few point blk has a unblock view of the custom, nice view of the whole custom bridge, so next time no more liao.

Edited May 26, 2022 by 13177

[Scion]

maybe to cater for future MRT line to JB?

[Jamesc]

30 minutes ago, Spidey10 said:

3.2 to 1...ouch! by 2050....u can imagine..

10 to 1?

31 minutes ago, Spidey10 said:

3.2 to 1...ouch! by 2050....u can imagine..

 

[Jamesc]

I like the idea.

Makes going in for massages and pumping petrol easier.

[Watwheels]

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/woodlands-checkpoint-expansion-hdb-blocks-marsiling-acquired-sers-residents-compensated-2708446

Those asked to move is like kenna 4D first prize. LoL...

The offered precinct at Woodlands Street 13, indicated in yellow, will comprise five residential blocks. (Image: Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, Housing and Development Board, Singapore Land Authority)

The dotted red line should be the RTS.

 

SERS GRANT, REHOUSING BENEFITS

There will be five blocks of new replacement flats at Woodlands Street 13, said the agencies.

They are 23 to 34 storeys high, comprising two-room Flexi, three-room, four-room and five-room flats.

The flats are located near to Marsiling MRT station, about a 10-minute walk away. There are existing shops and eating houses nearby, and Marsiling Mall and Causeway Point are “easily accessible” by bus, said the agencies. 

“Flat owners have the option of purchasing these new flats with better design and fittings, located within a precinct with modern and comprehensive facilities,” they added.

Eligible flat owners may receive a SERS grant of up to S$30,000 and take out a housing loan from HDB for the purchase of their new flat.

Eligible rental flat tenants will also be given rehousing benefits like a rehousing allowance of S$2,500 and priority allocation of sold flats under the Build-to-Order or Sale of Balance Flats Exercises and at the offered precinct at Woodlands Street 13.

Edited May 26, 2022 by Watwheels

[13177]

26 minutes ago, Watwheels said:

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/woodlands-checkpoint-expansion-hdb-blocks-marsiling-acquired-sers-residents-compensated-2708446

Those asked to move is like kenna 4D first prize. LoL...

The offered precinct at Woodlands Street 13, indicated in yellow, will comprise five residential blocks. (Image: Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, Housing and Development Board, Singapore Land Authority)

The dotted red line should be the RTS.

 

SERS GRANT, REHOUSING BENEFITS

There will be five blocks of new replacement flats at Woodlands Street 13, said the agencies.

They are 23 to 34 storeys high, comprising two-room Flexi, three-room, four-room and five-room flats.

The flats are located near to Marsiling MRT station, about a 10-minute walk away. There are existing shops and eating houses nearby, and Marsiling Mall and Causeway Point are “easily accessible” by bus, said the agencies. 

“Flat owners have the option of purchasing these new flats with better design and fittings, located within a precinct with modern and comprehensive facilities,” they added.

Eligible flat owners may receive a SERS grant of up to S$30,000 and take out a housing loan from HDB for the purchase of their new flat.

Eligible rental flat tenants will also be given rehousing benefits like a rehousing allowance of S$2,500 and priority allocation of sold flats under the Build-to-Order or Sale of Balance Flats Exercises and at the offered precinct at Woodlands Street 13.

The replacement flats just next to the new BTO flats which is now in process of building which will be ready in 1st quarter 2023. Didnt know that area have so many vacant land? So far there are already two new BTOs cluster in that area liao.

Edited May 26, 2022 by 13177

[Dp26]

While it might sound good, I’m wondering if the big big old units now have to change to a smaller one(by default cos all new HDBs are smaller) will be happy?

 

It will be a good bump for the value of the flat but might be at the expense of living space. 

[Banz86]

This is a good initiative, the jam can be really bad during peak times. BUT The huge bottleneck will still be our friendly neighbour. 

[DOBIEMKZ]

2 hours ago, 13177 said:

Maybe G expect to have more foreigners cars coming in? Lol.

To make room too for import of more chickens once the ban is lifted....🙄

[13177]

23 minutes ago, Dp26 said:

While it might sound good, I’m wondering if the big big old units now have to change to a smaller one(by default cos all new HDBs are smaller) will be happy?

 

It will be a good bump for the value of the flat but might be at the expense of living space. 

Those old 5 room point blk there flat size is 118sqm. New 5 room bto size is 110sqm. Old flat size is more practical and layout better as compared to new bto la. But if can get a new flat and in future can fetch a higher resale price, good to move to a new flat.