Tucked away in the east, Pasir Ris remains a popular estate supported by good amenities and infrastructure as Muneerah Bee discovered.
Pasir Ris may be the last stop on the East-West MRT line, but with the high number of residents calling it home, it seems to have defied the perception of being a far-flung location.
Pasir Ris New Town first underwent development in the 1980s and it continues to grow. According to the URA Draft Master Plan 2013, Pasir Ris is one of the 26 planning areas identified to undergo changes over the next five years.
Specifically, more facilities will be added and existing amenities will be upgraded to enhance the living environment. To serve existing and future residents, the town centre will undergo redevelopment with new commercial facilities.
Even though it is one of the farthest areas from the city centre, Pasir Ris remains a popular choice for residents and home buyers.
Darren Tay, Associate Assistant Marketing Manager at Huttons Asia, explained, “For a city-state like Singapore, nowhere is too far off for an individual or family to stay. Each township and the neighbouring heartlands have strong amenities to support any population growth.”
Reachable by many means
Good accessibility to the MRT station, workplaces and other locations frequently visited are key considerations for most buyers, and travelling within Pasir Ris and to other parts of Singapore is set to become faster and more convenient. The Draft Master Plan 2013 includes some enhancements to the area’s road network such as extending Pasir Ris Drive 8 and Loyang Drive to Pasir Ris Drive 3 and widening Pasir Ris Street 51, near Coral Primary School.
There will also be two new roads, Pasir Ris Rise and Pasir Ris Link, which are near five new developments that are expected to achieve TOP in 2016/2017. Drivers can also look forward to improvements along the Tampines Expressway (TPE), Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) and Loyang Avenue, and a new road which links to Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE) and the TPE.
Public transportation is also set to improve as a new Integrated Transport Hub at Pasir Ris Central is on the cards. By 2030, the Cross Island MRT Line will serve Pasir Ris and will provide an alternative east-west connection from Changi to Jurong.
These convenient transportation modes will make Pasir Ris even more accessible and increase its attractiveness to buyers.
Ideal homes in the east
With new condominiums being built near Downtown East, as well as the upcoming Pasir Ris One DBSS and HDB blocks along Pasir Ris Drive 1, the estate is a definite draw for new and existing residents, said Tay.
“For residents who place a premium over the proximity of the MRT station to their homes, they will find the new DBSS and upcoming condominiums built within short walking distance to the Pasir Ris MRT stations a star attraction,” he added.
One of the new launches is the 944-unit Coco Palms condominium in Pasir Ris Grove. Located a mere five-minute walk from the train station, the development saw brisk sales when it was launched on 17 May.
Adjacent to Coco Palms is the HDB Build-to-Order (BTO) project Costa Ris, which is slated to be ready in the third quarter of 2014. Homeowner Shahfii Ali looks forward to its completion and he chose a unit at Costa Ris because of its proximity to amenities, public transportation and eateries. “I have been living in the east my whole life. I love that we are close to Changi for good food, and being near the airport makes an easy exit when we travel. My wife and I also love beaches, hence Pasir Ris is a great place for us,” he said.
Indeed, recreation options are aplenty in Pasir Ris as residents are within easy reach of many parks and water bodies, such as Pasir Ris Park and the beach, Pasir Ris Town Park, the nature park next to Sungei Tampines and Lorong Halus Wetland.
Pasir Ris Town Park offers family-bonding activities such as pony rides, water sports, cycling, inline skating and barbeque pits. It also features a carefully preserved six-hectare mangrove forest. Visitors can get closer to the inhabitants of the mangrove community via the boardwalks built into the forest.
Sungei Api Api and Sungei Tampines, which are near Pasir Ris Park, will be improved under the PUB’s Active, Beautiful, Clean Waters (ABC Waters) Programme.
Facility of fun
Another recreation icon, Downtown East, is also going through some changes and is undergoing a five-year revamp to meet the changing social needs of the public and residents. The facelift is targeted to be completed by the end of 2017 and the new Downtown East promises an all-inclusive leisure experience. Besides a brand new resort and a bigger water park with new attractions, it will also offer a wholesome food & beverage and retail experience.
Residents can also enjoy the perks of working near home with a slew of new job opportunities set to be created in the area. Advanced wafer fabrication plants will replace the Loyang Agrotechnology Park and data centres at Loyang Industrial Estate will also be launched.
Pasir Ris is also a convenient location for employees in companies located in the east. Tay said, “Pasir Ris will continue to appeal to those who work in the eastern part of Singapore, especially to families and staffs working in Changi Business Park, the airport terminals, Singapore Prison Service, new international schools and the upcoming Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD).”
For an area that used to house plantations and villages, Pasir Ris has sure come a long way to be the star of the east that draws developers to create homes and people to live there. In future, as many as 12 new developments will welcome residents in Pasir Ris.
“For real estate agents like us, we believe that affordability of choice luxury homes that come with premium finishing are strong determinants in attracting new residents with spending power into Pasir Ris,” Tay said.
Note: The views expressed are solely that of the registered salesperson with CEA.