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Sers pace likely to ease in future: Mah
Suitable replacement sites harder to find, says minister
By Amelia Tan & Jessica Lim
JUST as three new blocks were identified for the Government's latest Selective En Bloc Redevelopment Scheme (Sers) yesterday, National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan said the exercise is likely to be rolled out at a slower pace in the future.
The Housing Board has identified three blocks - Blocks 321, 322 and 323 in Clementi Avenue 5 - for its latest Sers programme. The 34-year-old 10-storey buildings comprise 374 three-, four- and five-room flats.
This is the 74th site to be identified for Sers since the scheme was implemented in August 1995.
'We do Sers on a very regular basis. We have been doing Sers for many years, but it is getting harder and harder to look for suitable replacement sites,' said Mr Mah. The minister, who was speaking on the sidelines of a Chinese New Year dinner with 800 residents at Tampines East Community Club yesterday, added: 'So I think the pace of Sers will be determined on whether we can find these sites, and it is getting harder to do.'
Mr Mah also shared some of his thoughts on the upcoming Budget to be presented on Friday.
'The Budget, I hope, will be able to help lower-income Singaporeans, to help us to bridge the income gap in a way that will be sustainable... areas like investment for the future, education, productivity improvement, skills upgrading, I think these are investments for the future,' he said.
When asked if any housing incentives would be unveiled, he said he hoped that lower-income Singaporeans would be helped.
When asked to elaborate, he said: 'You have to wait and see.'
Yesterday's news came as a surprise to residents of the affected Clementi blocks.
Mr Colman Wong, 40, a manager at a semiconductor company who lives with five other family members in a three-room flat in Block 321, said the scheme is a boon.
'There are not many new flats in Clementi so I think the value of the replacement flats will be high,' he said.
The Housing Board said in a press statement yesterday that flat owners like Mr Wong will be offered replacement flats in nearby Clementi Avenue 3.
It will build about 500 units of new two-, three-, four- and five-room replacement flats next to the Clementi Town Centre and Clementi MRT station and bus interchange.
Eligible Sers flat-owners will be invited to register for replacement flats in the third quarter of next year. The new flats are expected to be completed in the middle of 2016.
The flat-owners will be compensated for their existing flats based on the prevailing market value and will be able
to buy replacement flats at subsidised prices frozen at the date of the announcement.
A 20 per cent discount up to a maximum of $11,000 for singles, $22,000 for joint-singles and $30,000 for families will be provided to those eligible.
[email protected]
[email protected]
Suitable replacement sites harder to find, says minister
By Amelia Tan & Jessica Lim
JUST as three new blocks were identified for the Government's latest Selective En Bloc Redevelopment Scheme (Sers) yesterday, National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan said the exercise is likely to be rolled out at a slower pace in the future.
The Housing Board has identified three blocks - Blocks 321, 322 and 323 in Clementi Avenue 5 - for its latest Sers programme. The 34-year-old 10-storey buildings comprise 374 three-, four- and five-room flats.
This is the 74th site to be identified for Sers since the scheme was implemented in August 1995.
'We do Sers on a very regular basis. We have been doing Sers for many years, but it is getting harder and harder to look for suitable replacement sites,' said Mr Mah. The minister, who was speaking on the sidelines of a Chinese New Year dinner with 800 residents at Tampines East Community Club yesterday, added: 'So I think the pace of Sers will be determined on whether we can find these sites, and it is getting harder to do.'
Mr Mah also shared some of his thoughts on the upcoming Budget to be presented on Friday.
'The Budget, I hope, will be able to help lower-income Singaporeans, to help us to bridge the income gap in a way that will be sustainable... areas like investment for the future, education, productivity improvement, skills upgrading, I think these are investments for the future,' he said.
When asked if any housing incentives would be unveiled, he said he hoped that lower-income Singaporeans would be helped.
When asked to elaborate, he said: 'You have to wait and see.'
Yesterday's news came as a surprise to residents of the affected Clementi blocks.
Mr Colman Wong, 40, a manager at a semiconductor company who lives with five other family members in a three-room flat in Block 321, said the scheme is a boon.
'There are not many new flats in Clementi so I think the value of the replacement flats will be high,' he said.
The Housing Board said in a press statement yesterday that flat owners like Mr Wong will be offered replacement flats in nearby Clementi Avenue 3.
It will build about 500 units of new two-, three-, four- and five-room replacement flats next to the Clementi Town Centre and Clementi MRT station and bus interchange.
Eligible Sers flat-owners will be invited to register for replacement flats in the third quarter of next year. The new flats are expected to be completed in the middle of 2016.
The flat-owners will be compensated for their existing flats based on the prevailing market value and will be able
to buy replacement flats at subsidised prices frozen at the date of the announcement.
A 20 per cent discount up to a maximum of $11,000 for singles, $22,000 for joint-singles and $30,000 for families will be provided to those eligible.
[email protected]
[email protected]
