SINGAPORE – Punggol is set to get a new office and retail development at a field next to Punggol MRT station in future.
According to a proposed masterplan amendment published by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) on Oct 21, about half the field, which is a reserve site, will be rezoned for commercial use.
Reserve sites are areas whose specific use has yet to be determined.
A URA spokesman said the rezoned parcel will be developed to provide more office spaces and retail options for residents. More details will be shared when ready, he added.
The entire field is about 2.3ha – equivalent in size to just over three football fields – while the rezoned area is about 1ha. The field is bounded by Punggol Walk, Punggol Central, the MRT station as well as the Punggol Residences Housing Board development.
When The Straits Times visited the site, construction works for the upcoming Cross Island Line Punggol extension were being carried out within the half of the field that had been rezoned. An improvised football pitch had also been set up on the field using cones and pipes.
Punggol residents had mixed reactions towards the forthcoming development, with some telling ST that they are in favour of more retail options and others giving the thumbs down.
The planned commercial project will add office spaces in Punggol on top of those planned for the upcoming Punggol Digital District, which will house the Singapore Institute of Technology and a business park by JTC Corporation.
The district, which will open progressively from 2024, was identified in URA’s long-term plan in June as one of several job nodes across the island that will bring workplaces closer to homes.
Mr Alan Cheong, executive director of research and consultancy at Savills Singapore, said given the plot’s rough size and plot ratio of 1.4, the commercial development will be relatively small compared with others in Singapore.
The retail component will have an uphill task attracting customers from Waterway Point, he noted, given the site’s proximity to the mall, which has a significantly larger retail space.
“Nevertheless, because the site is located adjacent to the Punggol LRT station, we can expect foot traffic to swing its way and some retail can still be considered,” he said.
Mr Cheong added that office space in Punggol will appeal to tenants that have operations nearby, and co-working operators which cater to companies with a small presence in Singapore. Companies located elsewhere that allow employees to work closer to home will also benefit if the development has co-working options, he said.
Punggol resident Aishah Saed, 39, hopes the upcoming development will help ease crowds at Waterway Point, which she said can get very crowded during peak hours and on weekends. The healthcare worker is looking forward to having more food and beverage options in the development.
Industrial designer Khim Tan, 45, who has lived in Punggol since 2005, said new retail outlets will benefit residents. He recounted how he had to travel far from home just to purchase essentials in the town’s early years.
But other residents like Mr Jafar Sadiq, an administrative manager, are not in favour.
“The area is already very built-up with a lot of tall, concrete buildings, and residents appreciate having this open field where kids can run around and make memories,” said the 59-year-old, who plays football there with his grandchildren, aged four and seven.
If the field were to be developed, Mr Jafar, a Punggol resident since 2014, said he would consider moving elsewhere as he values having open spaces.
Ms Wen Lim, 30, an executive in the tech industry and a Punggol resident of eight years, said she would prefer not to have further development as it would draw even more people to the area. It gets very crowded in the central area of Punggol during peak periods as the area has an MRT station, an LRT station and a bus interchange, she added.
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