Residents of Yishun’s brand new housing zone will have the opportunity to live in a colonial plantation house, designed in the style of the era.
Chencharu, bounded by the Yishun Avenues 1, 2, and Sembawang Road, will also have an integrated development comprising an hawker center bus interchange, retail outlets as well as residential units.
Other new amenities planned include an educational institute and nursing home to cater to residents of different age groups.
Chencharu was comprised of plantations and farms in the 1900s. It was later renovated for commercial and recreational purposes. It housed plant nurseries and the former Bottle Tree Park, later transforming into Orto leisure park. The region was designated for residential development as part of the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s masterplan for 2019.
By 2040, about 10,000 homes will be built on the 70ha site At least 80 percent of which will be flats for the public.
The first Build-to-Order (BTO) project in Chencharu comprised of 1,270 units, including two-room flexi homes, threefour and five-room flats, will be launched before the end of June, HDB said. The project will be launched gradually as it launches the rest of the projects over the next few years.
The area’s plans will pay tribute to the history and culture of Chencharu as well as incorporating innovative and sustainable features in the development.
Precincts will have convenient public transport links and be connected to parks and recreational areas in order to encourage people to cycle and walk in their commutes.
In the center of the estate will be a footpath that will connect the park to the current neighbourhood park close to Khatib MRT station in the east.
A brand new road for buses only called Chencharu Link will run from the north to south of the estate to provide dedicated road space for better bus travel.
The paths for cycling and walking will connect to towns nearby, such as Sembawang and also recreation hubs such as Lower Seletar Reservoir, Khatib Bongsu Nature Park and the North-South Corridor.
The first BTO Project in Chencharu has elements of the bungalow over 100 years old, located at 50 Bah Soon Pah Road. The two-storey bungalow, a plantation house built in the early 1910s by the Bukit Sembawang Rubber Company, was conserved by the authorities in the new area of residential development.
The BTO project, which draws inspiration from bungalow architecture with its raised floors with piers and columns made of masonry, will have an elongated dark outline on the initial two floors and a façade in black, red and white that reflects the color scheme of the home.
The house will be used by the benefit of the community.
The park is located close to the BTO project and will have playgrounds, fitness areas with fitness equipment as well as hard courts, open lawns for sports and an area for relaxation.
The park will also feature an historic trail that includes a series of gardens and storyboards that residents can use to learn about the history of the area.
These features are designed to foster social connections and a healthy lifestyle and overall wellbeing of residents.
Two tenants from Lorong Chencharu which were a hit with the general public. They must leave their property in order to accommodate the new developments. They will be relocated to a nearby site adjacent to HomeTeamNS Khatib.
Ground-Up Initiative is a non-profit organization that has a strong focus in sustainability and community-building and the Live Turtle Museum.
This will not only enable existing community activities in these unique recreational spaces to go on, but will also allow for the formation of solid social bonds with the new inhabitants of Chencharu, thereby enhancing the reputation of Chencharu as a vibrant, modern kampung.
Smart home features will be made available to owners of the homes.
It will introduce initiatives like a smart lighting system that allows HDB and town councils to monitor lighting in common areas in real time, reducing the need for manual checks, and rainwater harvesting systems when they are applicable.
A strong demand for the initial BTO project in Chencharu is anticipated, based on the high rate of application for earlier launches in Yishun.
In the three BTO projects in Yishun launched in November 2022 There were more than 1,400 applicants who were competing for 917 four-room flats. There were another 1,400 applicants for 795 five-room apartments.
The planned amenities in the area will likely attract the interest of potential homebuyers who are looking for a community that is self-sufficient and meets their needs.