Enhanced town centre, greater connectivity and more green spaces part of Bukit Merah's facelift

SINGAPORE: Nearly 130,500 residents in Bukit Merah can look forward to the transformation of their town centre and community spaces, as well as enhanced connectivity to green nodes such as the Rail Corridor and Southern Ridges in five to 10 years' time. 

These improvements, which are part of the Housing and Development Board's (HDB) Remaking Our Heartland (ROH) programme, and other rejuvenation plans for Bukit Merah were announced by Second Minister for National Development Indranee Rajah on Sunday (Sep 17).

Bukit Merah, along with Ang Mo Kio, Queenstown and Choa Chu Kang, were selected for rejuvenation in 2020 as the fourth batch of towns to come under the ROH programme. 

The programme, first announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in 2007, aims to renew older estates to meet the changing needs of the community, while ensuring the HDB heartlands remain distinctive.

HDB said in its press release on Sunday that it conducted a series of surveys and focus group discussions with residents and stakeholders from 2020 to 2022 to seek their views when drawing up the renewal plans for the fourth batch of ROH towns.

Some 1,700 residents and community members from the four towns participated in these discussions and HDB used the feedback to refine its plans. 

The latest renewal plans for Bukit Merah, comprising the Redhill, Tiong Bahru, Telok Blangah and Mount Faber estates, as well as a part of Tanjong Pagar, will "further reinvigorate" the town, said HDB.

Bukit Merah's town centre will be given a makeover to enhance its attractiveness, improving the shopping experience for residents. 

A new and larger sheltered event space that comes with seating will replace the current sheltered stage next to the Rubikon building, allowing for a more conducive space for larger community events, such as performances and festive bazaars.

The pedestrian malls at the town centre will be upgraded to include more seating areas for residents and where possible, new play areas will be built alongside to enliven the area. Residents will also be invited to co-create some of these community spaces. 

New pedestrian and cycling paths, as well as sheltered linkways, will be added along Redhill Close to make it safer and more convenient for users to travel between Bukit Merah Town Centre and Redhill MRT station. 

Two new MRT stations – Keppel and Cantonment Stations – will open by 2026, closing the loop to Marina Bay station and enhancing rail network connectivity for the residents and commuters in Bukit Merah.

UPGRADING OF NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRES 

The common areas of six existing Neighbourhood Centres (NCs) in Bukit Merah, including Beo Crescent and Brickworks, will also be spruced up with more amenities such as outdoor seating, play facilities, pocket greens and spaces for community events.

For example, the open space next to Blk 121 at Alexandra Village NC will be given a facelift with new facilities like landscaped seating areas.

MORE SENIOR-FRIENDLY

As more than one-third of Bukit Merah's residents are aged 60 and above, a key focus of the renewal plans will be to make the neighbourhoods more senior-friendly. 

The common spaces in the town centre, NCs and housing estates will be upgraded with sheltered walkways, ramps and non-slip flooring, as well as more seating areas, enhancing the safety of residents.

Active ageing amenities such as therapeutic gardens, fitness trails or corners and exercise equipment will be added to the various parks in Bukit Merah to promote healthy living. 

Signage with larger and more colourful fonts, and distinctive murals on building facades will also be installed to help people find their way.

CONNECTING BUKIT MERAH TO NATURE

There will be a new pocket park next to the existing multi-storey carpark at Block 119 Bukit Merah Central, allowing for connectivity from the town centre to the Rail Corridor alongside the new cycling paths.

This will also enable those who use the Rail Corridor to make a stop at the town centre, adding to the vibrancy of the area and increasing footfall. 

The pedestrian paths along Henderson Road, which connects Alexandra Canal, the Southern Ridges and Telok Blangah Estate to the future Greater Southern Waterfront, will be enhanced, while new rest points with landscaped seating areas will be added.

Fitness amenities will also be upgraded at Telok Blangah Hill Park and Mount Faber Park, with enhanced access and better wayfinding to the parks to come. 

Lastly, improvements at neighbourhood parks like Alexandra Hill Park and Bukit Purmei Park will include more greenery, new sheltered pavilions and multi-generational facilities.

INCORPORATING HISTORICAL ELEMENTS 

HDB will also aim to explore ways to incorporate aspects of Bukit Merah’s history into the town, such as through thematic playgrounds, wall murals and educational boards. 

It noted feedback from residents during the engagement sessions, which likened the town to a "living museum".

For example, the upcoming Alexandra Vale Build-to-Order (BTO) development will feature a mural bearing a swordfish motif, inspired by local folklore about how Redhill got its name. 

Alexandra Vale is one of four BTO projects launched in Bukit Merah in the past two years, with another at Prince Charles Crescent launching soon.

The first BTO project at the Greater Southern Waterfront is slated for launch within the next five years and when completed, these new public housing projects will not only make Bukit Merah more vibrant, but also inject new commercial amenities, social and communal facilities.

HDB will be seeking residents’ views on how to best design some of these heritage elements around the town.

The ROH plans will be on display at the Bukit Merah Town Centre from Sep 17 to Sep 24, before shifting to Telok Blangah Community Club, Radin Mas Community Club and Tiong Bahru Plaza.

Residents are invited to visit the exhibitions. They can share their thoughts and feedback on the ROH plans online at HDB InfoWEB.