With plans to turn the greater Jurong area into a second business district, we chart the changes for Jurong West – a prime piece of real estate in the making.
With plans to turn the greater Jurong area into a second business district, we chart the changes for Jurong West – a prime piece of real estate in the making.
The greater Jurong area has come a long way from its days as an industrial area. Plans, largely centred on the Jurong Lake district, have seen it become a commercial region with shopping centres, and lush greenery – almost 290ha of parkland in total. On the other hand, Jurong West – the area stretching from Lakeside MRT to Joo Koon MRT stations – is more commonly seen as an industrial area, with the large number of industrial sites located along International Road to Joo Koon Road. But all that is set to change. More residential developments have been planned, as well as a slew of innovative high-tech industrial areas, which could see Jurong West becoming an attractive place to live, for both locals and expatriates.
HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS Jurong West Blossom, situated at Jurong West Central 3, will house six blocks of 17 storeyhigh flats, totalling 700 units. These were the result of a Sers (Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme) upgrading, carried out on blocks 167 to 172 of Boon Lay Drive. These units, to be completed by the third quarter of the year, are a mix of standard two-, three-, four-, and fiveroom ones. Green spaces will be the hallmark of this residential project, with a central green offering ample activity spaces for residents, and a rooftop garden with fitness stations, above the multistorey carpark. Residents can also visit Jurong Central Park down by Jurong River, situated across the residential site. However, the biggest selling point for this project is probably its proximity to Boon Lay MRT station and bus interchange, and Jurong Point.
Yung Ho Spring I & II, located along Yung Ho Road, includes five residential blocks ranging from 14 to 20 storeys of two-, threeand four-room units, totalling 907. To be completed in 2018, the development will include eco-friendly features, such as separate chutes for recyclable waste, bathroom eco-pedestals – toilet bowls that flush using water you’ve washed your hands with, and energy-efficient motion sensor lighting at landings and corridors, as part of the Housing Board’s efforts to encourage a greener lifestyle. An eatery, mini-mart and shops will also be located among these blocks.
Westwood Residences is a bicycle-themed executive condominium project developed by Koh Brothers. To be completed in 2018, the 480 apartments will be split into nine blocks, located at Westwood Avenue. Other than the usual pools and gyms, the first-of-itskind themed development will also include a mini-velodrome – an arena for professional cyclists with tracks tilted at a slight gradient. The little ones can also hone their skills at extreme biking with a kidfriendly BMX adventure corner. Definitely a place to call home for Singapore’s future generation of professional cyclists!
Lake Grande, the latest private condominium residential development at Jurong West Street 41, will include a total of 550 residential units and will offer residents a panoramic view of Jurong Lake. This attractive residential project is matched by a respectable list of schools, such as River Valley High School and Jurong Junior College, and other amenities in the area. Nanyang Technological University and The Canadian International School could also provide the rental market with a much-needed boost, with the likelihood of a continuous flow of foreign students with each intake. During weekends, residents can head to the nearby Jurong Bird Park or Singapore Discovery Centre. The recently completed J-Walk, an elevated pedestrian walkway that connects the major malls in Jurong East – IMM, Jem, J Cube, Big Box and Westgate – also makes it convenient for residents to while the hours away.
PLANS FOR BUSINESS Clean Tech Park is touted by the Jurong Townhall Corporation (JTC) as “Singapore’s first ecobusiness park”, the 50ha area will serve as a test and research and development site for companies in the field of environmentally friendly technological and energy solutions. The park was developed with a plan to retain the natural environment and biodiversity of its surroundings. The Jurong Eco Garden situated within its compounds offers staff a peaceful respite during breaks. Clean Tech Park is split into two blocks, each featuring ready-built office and lab spaces. developed into a number of sites for small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as multinational corporations.
ESTABLISHING CONNECTIONS Alongside these industrial and residential projects in the pipeline for Jurong West, the URA is looking to further improve the accessibility and convenience of commuting from the west to town. These improvements will come in the form of the Jurong Region and Cross Island MRT Lines, expected to be completed in 2025 and 2030, respectively.
In 2020, the Jurong Science Centre will be moving to a new site closer to Chinese Garden MRT station, making it more accessible for Jurong West residents.
IN THE WORKS
In Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat’s budget address in March, it was announced that Jurong West would house the Jurong Innovation District (JID). Envisioned as an industrial park of the future, the development of JID embodies the close relationships shared between the research, innovation and production industries. Development of the nextgeneration industrial district is already underway with Launch Pad @ JID by JTC’s start-up division, JTC Launch Pad – a space to stimulate innovative collaborations between researchers, students and entrepreneurs. Once completed, JID will be integrated with the current NTU campus and expanded further to include the Clean Tech Park, Bahar, Bulim and Tengah industrial areas. The fi rst phase of the project is likely to be completed by 2022. Thus, it will pay for Jurong West residents to remain in their current properties for the foreseeable future to meet the increased demand for homes and accommodations with the completion of JID.
