$95m set aside to upgrade 23 neighbourhoods in renewal scheme

More than 15,600 homes expected to benefit; future projects will include more senior-friendly amenities

- Shabana Beguma

More than $95 million has been set aside to upgrade and rejuvenate 23 neighbourhoods islandwide under the next edition of the Housing Board's Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP), which is expected to benefit more than 15,600 homes.

HDB blocks selected for the facelift include those in Hougang Central, Clementi and Pasir Ris.

The amenities and upgrades will be based on residents' feedback on the features they hope to see in their neighbourhoods.

These could include residents' corners and seating areas, fitness corners with jogging tracks, and covered linkways.

The 15th round of the NRP was announced by National Development Minister Desmond Lee at a community event in Clementi Town Centre on June 1.

The NRP was introduced in 2007 and as at April, a total of 120 projects comprising about 172,000 flats have been upgraded.

More than $1.5 billion was allocated for the past 14 editions of the NRP.

Mr Lee said: "As a society that is rapidly ageing, we are in fact making a bigger push and more concerted effort to address our seniors' needs in the built environment." Future projects under the NRP will include more senior-friendly amenities that enable the elderly to stay active and safe in their neighbourhoods.

Such features could include therapeutic gardens with wheelchairfriendly planter boxes, fitness trails connecting senior-centric amenities, and signage to make navigation easier, HDB said on June 1.