Bishan Town Centre to Get New Office Space, Polyclinic, Hawker Centre

The Bishan town centre will be developed into a sub-regional centre with new workplaces and amenities, in line with the Government's move to shift employment and commercial activities outside the city centre.

- Grace Leong

National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat said the Government is studying adding new office space that can match the scale of that in Paya Lebar Central, along with a new polyclinic, hawker centre and revamped bus interchange with air-conditioned waiting areas.

Sub-regional centres are business nodes such as Paya Lebar and Serangoon that bring jobs closer to homes. They are smaller than the regional centres in Woodlands, Jurong East and Tampines.

Also under study is whether Bishan Place – the road behind Junction 8 mall – can be transformed into a landscaped pedestrian mall.

A variety of public spaces and skyrise greenery will be integrated with future developments, said the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) on June 25 as it unveiled its 2025 draft masterplan.

A few government agencies are exploring the feasibility of relocating their offices to Bishan town centre to jump-start the development of this business district, the URA added.

Asked which agencies are looking to relocate their offices there, the URA said more details will be provided when ready.

Ms Catherine He, head of research at property agency Colliers, said government agencies with functions in transport, environment or community services could establish a presence in Bishan to revitalise the area.

"This is likely due to Bishan being a transport node. It is well connected (to places) across the island via major train lines and expressways," she said.

"In addition to being a mature town with high-density housing, Bishan is also positioned between the city centre and northern heartland, making it an ideal location for offices farther away from the Central Business District."