Tengah residents settle in as S'pore's newest HDB town fills up

Affordability of flats, quieter environment, upcoming amenities among pull factors

- Joyce Lim Senior Correspondent

Mohd Zaki with his wife Norafiqah Johan, son Mohd Zhafran Khalish Mohd Zaki and father Mohd Tari Haji Mohd Som in their two-room flexi flat in Tengah. HDB said more than 14,000 flats across 14 projects in Tengah have been completed, with over 12,000 households having collected their keys.

(BRIAN TEO)

When Mr Mohd Zaki moved into his two-room flexi flat in Tengah in October 2024, much of the Housing Board town was still under construction.

But despite the teething problems of living in a new estate, Mr Zaki - who lives with his wife, 18-month-old son and elderly father - said it felt like a fresh start.

One draw was the affordability - he paid $117,400 for his flat.

His workplace is now also nearer home. He used to live in Serangoon and work as a waiter at a Swensen's outlet in Sengkang. On moving to Tengah, he asked for a transfer to the restaurant chain's Plantation Plaza outlet, a 10-minute walk from his flat. He now works as a waiter at another cafe in the mall.

"I wanted to experience living and working in a new town," said Mr Zaki, who declined to reveal his age.

As Tengah fills up, daily routines like Mr Zaki's are taking shape. On Dec 6, HDB said more than 14,000 flats across 14 projects in Tengah have been completed, with over 12,000 households having collected their keys.

Tengah, a former military training ground, is Singapore's first new town since Punggol was built more than 20 years ago. It will take about 20 years to develop fully and will house an estimated 42,000 homes.

Residents told The Straits Times they understand that new towns take time to build up, making them more patient with early-stage inconveniences.