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Hundreds of new homes are set to be built in central Yishun, including on the site of the former Yishun temporary bus interchange, which is slated for demolition by 2027. Based on the Urban Redevelopment Authority's (URA) Draft Master Plan 2025, three residential plots and two for health and medical care facilities have been earmarked in the HDB town. The new homes will allow more residents to enjoy access to an array of retail and recreational options in the town centre, said URA at its draft master plan exhibition, which runs until Nov 29 at The URA Centre. Two of the three housing plots are currently occupied by the former Yishun temporary bus interchange, which operated from March 14, 2015, to Sept 8, 2019 - the day the interchange moved to an integrated transport hub that is connected to Northpoint City. The interchange - located about 300m from Yishun MRT station - was later used as an interim depot and is currently vacant. Tender documents published by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) in June state that the appointed demolition contractor is expected to take over the site in December, with demolition to be completed by April 30, 2027. The larger of the two housing sites abuts Yishun Central and is about 1.35ha in size. The other plot, located across the road from Northpoint City, is about 1.25ha. Each site is slightly smaller than two football fields. Property analysts estimate that each plot can yield about 300 HDB flats, or about 400 condominium units. The third housing plot has an area of about 3.2ha, or 4½ football fields. It is now partially occupied by Nee Soon Sports Centre, a temporary facility that began operations in 2016 and has futsal pitches and basketball courts. The other part of the sports centre sits within a reserve site, which means its specific use has not been determined. URA's approval for the temporary sports centre to be built in 2015 indicated that HDB will take over the site after the centre ceases operations. Nee Soon Town Council, the sports centre's developer, told The Straits Times: "As the draft master plan has only recently been released, it is still too preliminary for us to comment definitively on future developments concerning Nee Soon Sports Centre." The draft master plan was released on June 25 and is expected to take effect later in 2025. Analysts estimate that the third housing plot can yield between 750 and 900 flats, or about 1,100 condominium units. Mr Eugene Lim, key executive officer of ERA Singapore, believes that of the three housing plots, the two smaller ones - where the former temporary interchange is located - are better suited for private condominium developments due to their size. The largest plot will likely be used for public housing as HDB has "more flexibility to offer a mix of flat types and incorporate communal facilities to enhance liveability for residents", he said. He added that if any of the three housing plots are released to developers, they will likely be more popular than the last Government Land Sales site in Yishun, located in Chencharu Close. The tender for the site, which drew three bids, involved the development of commercial space - including a bus interchange and a hawker centre - in addition to new homes. "The three Yishun Central sites are purely residential, making them less complex to develop and therefore potentially more attractive to a wider pool of developers," said Mr Lim. He expects that public flats on any of the three plots, if built, will be categorised as Plus units due to their proximity to public transport and retail amenities. Ms Christine Sun, chief researcher and strategist at Realion Group, which includes property firms OrangeTee and ETC, said the Government's plans to further develop northern Singapore may make Yishun more attractive for home buyers. She cited the upcoming Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System Link, which is slated to start passenger service in end-2026. Pointing to the application rates in HDB's latest Build-To-Order exercise, which closed on Oct 22, Ms Sun said there was healthy demand for the new flats in the town - even in Chencharu, its upcoming estate. The 1,395 flats on offer in the town were all oversubscribed. Also planned for the town centre are two healthcare facilities that will be located next to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital and Yishun Community Hospital. These new facilities will complement the nearby Yishun Polyclinic, which opened in July 2018 in Yishun Avenue 9. Separately, the LTA will also demolish Compassvale temporary bus interchange, which operated in Sengkang from March 12, 2017, to Dec 1, 2024. The site, which is due to be torn down by Oct 30, 2027, is set to be taken over by an appointed demolition contractor in January that year, under the same demolition tender for the Yishun interchange. The tender has not been awarded as at Oct 24. According to URA's draft master plan, the site's specific use is yet to be determined.
