Source : Today - 11 Jun 2008
TO help meet demand for flats in the northern part of the island, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) yesterday launched a: Build-To-Order (BTO) project in Woodlands town called Straits Vista @ Marsiling.
The project, comprising 50 units of three-room and 332 units of four-room flats, is located near the Woodlands Regional Centre and is served by the Woodlands MRT station and bus interchange.
It is the HDB’s first project in the area in recent years. Those interested have until: June 23 to submit their applications.
The launch of the latest BTO project came even as the construction industry continues to grapple with rising costs.
:Speaking at a separate event yesterday, National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan said that the HDB is containing construction costs as much as it could, such as by simplifying some of the projects, or by combining them to enjoy greater economies of scale.
It is also using more economical materials and reducing the construction pressure by withholding some projects so that it does not add to the demand for construction, said Mr Mah during a visit to the HDB headquarters at Toa Payoh yesterday to congratulate its staff for winning the United Nations Public Service Award.
But Mr Mah assured Singaporeans that HDB flats would continue to be sold at discounted prices while the Main and Interim Upgrading Programmes will continue, reported Channel NewsAsia.
According to the HDB, the UN award is in recognition of the Home Ownership Programme, which has successfully provided over 80 per cent of Singaporeans with affordable quality flats, with 95 per cent of them owning these homes.
In his speech, Mr Mah noted that the HDB will continue to face challenges as it strives to meet the housing needs of a growing population with different needs and aspirations.
“As we welcome a larger and more diverse population into our fold, the challenge for HDB is to find innovative ways to accommodate everyone in a comfortable way, without compromising our living environment and social cohesion.
“We will need to ensure that public housing can help achieve the twin objectives of meeting the housing needs of the majority of the population, as well as providing a social safety net for lower-income Singaporeans,” Mr Mah said.
And with the growing ageing population, the HDB “will need to focus on meeting the housing needs of the more vulnerable groups, such as the elderly and the lower-income, so that they can level up with the rest of the population,” he added. -AGENCIES
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