Site in Alexandra to be redeveloped for public housing; 1,500 HDB flats set to be built

SINGAPORE: A site in Alexandra will be redeveloped to provide future public housing, with about 1,500 HDB flats set to be built. 

The 3.7ha of land, which includes the area currently occupied by Alexandra Post Office, will be developed in the near term to "meet the strong demand for public housing", the Housing & Development Board (HDB) and Singapore Land Authority (SLA) said in a joint release on Wednesday (Dec 15).

Bounded by Alexandra Road, Prince Charles Crescent and Alexandra Canal, the site to be developed has been earmarked for residential development since 1998 under the Urban Redevelopment Authority's Master Plan.

To facilitate the development, about 0.23ha of land currently occupied by Alexandra Post Office and SingPost’s tenant will be acquired by the Government.

SLA gazetted the acquisition of the affected land on Wednesday, the joint release said, adding that the statutory board and HDB will work closely with SingPost and its tenant and assist them through the acquisition process.

The acquisition of the post office will allow for more residential units to be built to meet the strong demand for housing and enable a more optimal planning and design of the public housing projects, SLA and HDB said.

IMPORTANCE OF SITE

The site was previously occupied by low-rise blocks of public rental flats, as well as shops and a market. These were demolished in the 1990s to facilitate future development plans, the joint release said.

The area includes the Alexandra Post Office, formerly known as Prince Philip Avenue Post Office, which has been functioning since the early 1960s.

The new housing projects at Alexandra will add to the “good geographical spread” of public housing to meet the different needs of Singaporeans, the agencies said.

These include young families who want to live near their parents in the area for “better mutual care and support”, they added.

“The site’s location along the Alexandra Park Connector offers easy connectivity to the city, on top of the recreational offerings along this corridor,” the authorities said. Future residents will also be served by the nearby Redhill MRT station, which is about 400m away. 

HDB also said that it is currently drawing up detailed plans for the public housing projects at Alexandra Road/Prince Charles Crescent and will share more details when ready.