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The town's first [[apartment]] blocks (known locally as ''flats'') at [[Rivervale, Singapore|Rivervale]] were completed in 1997.<ref name="Tee Hun Ching"/><ref name="Cindy Lim">{{cite news | author = Cindy Lim| title = Slow start in Sengkang | publisher = ''[[The Straits Times]]'' | date = [[11 April]] [[2000]]| page=40}}</ref> By August 2001, about 33,700 dwelling units have been completed. As at [[31 March]] [[2006]], there are 384 HDB apartment blocks with 39,982 units in Sengkang New Town, comprising 16,017 four-roomers, 19,477 five-roomers and 4,488 executive flats.<ref name="Sarah Ng"/>
The town's first [[apartment]] blocks (known locally as ''flats'') at [[Rivervale, Singapore|Rivervale]] were completed in 1997.<ref name="Tee Hun Ching"/><ref name="Cindy Lim">{{cite news | author = Cindy Lim| title = Slow start in Sengkang | publisher = ''[[The Straits Times]]'' | date = [[11 April]] [[2000]]| page=40}}</ref> By August 2001, about 33,700 dwelling units have been completed. As at [[31 March]] [[2006]], there are 384 HDB apartment blocks with 39,982 units in Sengkang New Town, comprising 16,017 four-roomers, 19,477 five-roomers and 4,488 executive flats.<ref name="Sarah Ng"/>


In October 1999, a steering committee chaired by Dr [[Michael Lim]], [[Member of Parliament]] for [[Cheng San Group Representation Constituency]], was formed to look into providing sufficient [[amenities]] in Sengkang New Town, in view of feedback from residents. The Sengkang Town Development Steering Committee coordinated and sped up the provision of town amenities, and completed its report on the need for facilities and services in the new town in July 2000.<ref name="Tee Hun Ching"/><ref name="Cindy Lim"/><ref name="Natalie Soh and Kenneth Lim">{{cite news | author = Natalie Soh and Kenneth Lim| title = Few amenities in Sengkang | publisher = ''[[The Straits Times]]'' | date = [[18 June]] [[1999]]| page=56}}</ref><ref name="The Straits Times Jun 2000">{{cite news | author = | title = More amenities for Sengkang | publisher = ''[[The Straits Times]]'' | date = [[12 June]] [[2000]]| page=34}}</ref>
In October 1999, a steering committee chaired by Dr [[Michael Lim]], [[Member of Parliament]] for [[Cheng San Group Representation Constituency]], was formed to look into providing sufficient [[amenities]] in Sengkang New Town, in view of feedback from residents. The Sengkang Town Development Steering Committee coordinated and sped up the provision of town amenities, and completed its report on the need for facilities and services in the new town in July 2000.<ref name="Tee Hun Ching"/><ref name="Cindy Lim"/><ref name="Natalie Soh and Kenneth Lim">{{cite news | author = Natalie Soh and Kenneth Lim| title = Few amenities in Sengkang | publisher = ''[[The Straits Times]]'' | date = [[18 June]] [[1999]]| page=56}}</ref><ref name="The Straits Times Jun 2000">{{cite news | author = | title = More amenities for Sengkang | publisher = ''[[The Straits Times]]'' | date = [[12 June]] [[2000]]| page=34}}</ref><ref name="The Straits Times Mar 2006">{{cite news | author = | title = Task force became model for meeting people's needs | publisher = ''[[The Sunday Times (Singapore)|The Sunday Times]]'' | date = [[19 March]] [[2006]]| page=}}</ref>


==Highlights==
==Highlights==

Revision as of 08:21, 6 September 2007

1°23′30″N 103°53′40″E / 1.39167°N 103.89444°E / 1.39167; 103.89444

Sengkang New Town
Sengkang is highlighted on this map
Sengkang is highlighted on this map
English: Sengkang
Chinese: 盛港 (Min Nan: Sēng-káng)
Pinyin: Shèng Gǎng
Malay: Sengkang
Tamil: செங்காங
Demographics
Region: North-East Region
Total area: 10.55 km²
Residential area: 5.07 km²
Dwelling units: 39,982[1]
Projected ultimate: 95,000
Population: 138,500 (31 March 2006)[1]

Sengkang New Town (Chinese: 盛港新镇; pinyin: Shènggǎng Xīnzhèn) is a relatively young satellite residential town in the city-state of Singapore. Originally a fishing village, the area is presently undergoing rapid development under the ambition of the Housing and Development Board (HDB) to transform it into a "21st century township".[2] The town now comprises four large neighbourhoods. It is located within Sengkang, one of the 55 urban planning areas outlined by the Urban Redevelopment Authority for long-term land use planning purposes.

Location

Sungei Punggol with the Sengkang Light Rapid Transit line viaduct

Sengkang New Town is situated to the north of Hougang New Town, in the north-eastern part of Singapore, under the North-East Region as defined by Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA).

The town is bounded by the Tampines Expressway (TPE) to the north, Sungei Serangoon (Serangoon River) to the east, Buangkok Drive to the south and Jalan Kayu to the west. Sungei Punggol (Punggol River) cuts through the new town, and divides the town into Sengkang East and Sengkang West. The Sengkang Town Centre is located in Sengkang East.

Etymology and history

A typical apartment block in Anchorvale Gardens, showing the characteristic pilotis effect on the column façade.

Sengkang means "prosperous harbour" in Chinese. The name comes from a road called Lorong Sengkang, off Lorong Buangkok. The area was formerly known as Kangkar (Gang Jiao 港脚) or "foot of the port" as there was once a fishing port located along Sungei Serangoon. Fishing villages and rubber, pepper and pineapple plantations flourished in the area in the old days.[3][4]

Before the town was developed into a modern housing estate, the area was home to vegetable and pig farms, and tropical forests. The only public housing estate then was the Punggol Rural Centre, comprising a few low-rise residential blocks, located along Punggol Road. These blocks at the rural centre have since been demolished in 2005, to make way for future high-rise residential apartment blocks.

In 1994, an urban design team of 10 from HDB started conceptualisation for a new town in Sengkang. Sengkang was carved up into six neighbourhoods that will eventually house a total of 95,000 public and private housing units in the long term.[2][4]

Sengkang's rich history became the theme for its future — Town of the Seafarer.[3] Three neighbourhoods carry a marine sub-theme, while the other three will reflect the past when sprawling plantations covered parts of the area. The six neighbourhoods are planned to have names and colour schemes to go with their respective themes. Its past is today reflected in the design of its housing, seen in the three-storey pilotis or stilt effect that all the housing blocks have, reminiscent of the stilts of fishing villages and trunks of the various plantations of bygone years.[4]

The town's first apartment blocks (known locally as flats) at Rivervale were completed in 1997.[2][5] By August 2001, about 33,700 dwelling units have been completed. As at 31 March 2006, there are 384 HDB apartment blocks with 39,982 units in Sengkang New Town, comprising 16,017 four-roomers, 19,477 five-roomers and 4,488 executive flats.[1]

In October 1999, a steering committee chaired by Dr Michael Lim, Member of Parliament for Cheng San Group Representation Constituency, was formed to look into providing sufficient amenities in Sengkang New Town, in view of feedback from residents. The Sengkang Town Development Steering Committee coordinated and sped up the provision of town amenities, and completed its report on the need for facilities and services in the new town in July 2000.[2][5][6][7][8]

Highlights

Sengkang Sculpture Park

Sengkang's two main rivers, Sungei Punggol and Sungei Serangoon, bring life through the town with a network of green connectors along their banks, linking housing precincts to neighbourhood parks, and in the future, to the town park and sports complex as well. Eventually, these park connectors will be linked to the future Coney Island Park in Punggol New Town and the existing Punggol Park in the south, to better serve the recreational needs of the residents of Sengkang. Sengkang Sculpture Park, located in Compassvale, is an elongated green space created below the Sengkang Light Rapid Transit (LRT) viaducts.

Besides the pilotis located at the foot of all apartment blocks, point blocks are designed with a unique C-shape that provide greater privacy. Other common features include perforated balcony screens, and mesh or net-like parapets at the multi-storey carparks.[4]

Sengkang is also the first satellite new town in Singapore to have its major public transport amenities built in tandem with the main public housing development. The main heavy rail tunnels through Sengkang and the elevated track infrastructure of the intra-town Sengkang LRT system were developed as the existing public housing blocks were being built in the late 1990s.[3][5] An integrated approach to transport, housing and commercial uses was also adopted in the planning of the town centre of Sengkang. Commuters alighting at Sengkang MRT Station have direct access to the Sengkang Bus Interchange, the shopping mall at Compass Point and the residential development at Compass Heights in a contiguous building complex.[2][9][10]

Neighbourhoods

File:Compassvale wall tile mural, Nov 05.JPG
Wall tile mural at Compassvale

Sengkang New Town is currently divided into four major neighbourhoods, arranged from east to west:

Transportation facilities

City planners plan for public transport to eventually become the preferred mode of transport in the future. The government of Singapore ideally desires environmental towns, using public transport to reduce pollution caused by heavy road traffic. Sengkang is part of the Urban Redevelopment Authority's focus for realising this urban planning model. As Sengkang is relatively distant from the city centre at the Central Area, an efficient, high-volume and high-speed public transport system is also preferred to using road networks.

The Sengkang MRT Station, Sengkang LRT Station and Sengkang Bus Interchange are fully integrated within a single building complex to allow seamless travel for the residents of Sengkang New Town across the different available modes of public transport.

Public transport

North East Line

Sengkang New Town is linked to the Central Area and the SMRT lines (to the North-South Line at Dhoby Ghaut Station, and the East-West Line at Outram Park Station) through the North East Line (NEL) at Sengkang Station (NE16) located at Sengkang Town Centre. The NEL system is a fully automated heavy rail mass rapid transit system, and started operations on 20 June 2003. It is currently operated by SBS Transit.

Buangkok NEL Station (NE15), the other station along NEL in Sengkang New Town, serves the housing developments in Buangkok, at Compassvale, and the northern part of Hougang New Town. The station started operations on 15 January 2006.

Sengkang LRT Line

Sengkang Light Rapid Transit

The intra-town Sengkang Light Rapid Transit (LRT) system is a 10.7 km light rail line that serves to link residents to the town centre. It is a fully automated system, and its rolling stock is supplied by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. The system is currently operated by SBS Transit. The Sengkang LRT line forms 2 loops, East Loop and West Loop, that skirt the perimeter of the new town.

Station names are:

Sengkang Bus Interchange

Sengkang Bus Interchange

The Sengkang Bus Interchange is located at the ground level of Compass Heights condominium, next to Compass Point Shopping Centre. There are numerous trunk services departing from Sengkang Bus Interchange, with routes as follows:

Service Destination Via Notes
SBS Transit Trunk Services
80 HarbourFront Bus Interchange Hougang, Paya Lebar, Geylang, City
83 Punggol Bus Interchange Compassvale, Punggol
86 Ang Mo Kio Bus Interchange Tampines Expressway, Jalan Kayu, Yio Chu Kang
87 Bedok Bus Interchange Hougang, Eunos, Kaki Bukit
119 Hougang Street 21 (loop) Rivervale, Hougang, Upper Serangoon Service created to serve the many schools along its route after another bus service, 85, was taken out of service.
156 Clementi Bus Interchange Buangkok, Yio Chu Kang, Bishan, Whitley, Bukit Timah, Sixth Avenue
159 Toa Payoh Bus Interchange Buangkok, Ang Mo Kio, Ang Mo Kio MRT Station, Lorong Chuan
163 Toa Payoh Bus Interchange Sengkang, Jalan Kayu, Yio Chu Kang, Upper Thomson, Braddell
163A Fernvale Lane (loop) Punggol Road, Sengkang East Ave, Sengkang West Ave, Fernvale Lane Operates during peak hours to serve Fernvale Lane and replaces withdrawn feeder service 371
SBS Transit Feeder Services
372 Anchorvale Road (loop)
SMRT Buses Trunk Services
965 Woodlands Regional Bus Interchange TPE, Yishun, Woodlands

Buses through Sengkang New Town

Sengkang Light Rapid Transit viaduct

There are other bus trunk services passing through Sengkang New Town:

Bus services which have been removed or re-routed due to the operation of the North-East Line or Sengkang LRT:

Road network

Sengkang East Way

The major roads that currently link Sengkang New Town to Punggol New Town and the Tampines Expressway to the North, and Hougang New Town to the south are:

  • Punggol Road
  • Sengkang East Road
  • Sengkang East Drive (bypasses TPE to Punggol)
  • Jalan Kayu

The arterial roads that run in the east-west direction within Sengkang New Town are:

  • Sengkang East Avenue and Sengkang West Avenue
  • Compassvale Drive and Anchorvale Drive
  • Sengkang East Way
  • Compassvale Bow
  • Buangkok Drive

Educational institutions

There are currently six primary schools (with two more opening in 2008) and six secondary schools in Sengkang New Town.

Nan Chiau Primary School
File:IMGA0113.JPG
North Vista Secondary School

Places of worship

Sengkang Methodist Church

Sengkang Town Centre

Sengkang Town Centre. The building complexes are, from left to right, Sengkang Community Hub, Compass Point Shopping Centre, Sengkang MRT, LRT and Bus Interchange, and Compass Heights Condominium.

There are currently four major building complexes within the Sengkang Town Centre.

  • Compass Heights, a private residential condominium development.
  • Sengkang Interchange, comprising the bus interchange, and the NEL and LRT stations.
Compass Point Shopping Centre
Sengkang Community Hub
Sengkang Fire Station

Other amenities

  • Fire stations
    • Sengkang Fire Station is Singapore's largest fire station, opened on 19 May 2001. The S$14 million fire station covers 7,000 square metres, and has state-of-the-art facilities for the Singapore Civil Defence Force. It has Singapore's first Immediate Response Centre, which houses a medical company and a rescue battalion, with their specialised equipment. Sengkang Fire Station has a capacity for 700 fire fighters and rescue personnel, and is equipped with HAZMAT capability to handle incidents involving hazardous materials. It is also the first station to employ a water conservation system where water used during drills are diverted to a pump well for recycling purposes.[11]

Politics of Sengkang New Town

The Anchorvale and Fernvale neighbourhoods of Sengkang New Town belong to the Ang Mo Kio Group Representation Constituency.

The neighbourhoods Anchorvale and Fernvale of Sengkang New Town fall under Sengkang West division of the Ang Mo Kio Group Representation Constituency. Its Member of Parliament is Lam Pin Min. The two neighbourhoods were under the Jalan Kayu division, under Wee Siew Kim, before the general election in 2006.[12]

Compassvale, including Buangkok, and Rivervale, come under the Pasir Ris-Punggol Group Representation Constituency. The Member of Parliament is Charles Chong for Buangkok and a portion of Rivervale, under Punggol South division. From 2001 to 2006, Michael Lim was the Member of Parliament for Punggol North division, which covers Compassvale and a part of Rivervale. Penny Low is the current Member of Parliament for Punggol North division. In the latest 2006 general election, Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC was expanded from five to six MPs as the population in Sengkang and Punggol new towns has grown since 2001.

Before 2001, the entire Sengkang New Town and Punggol New Town were part of Cheng San Group Representation Constituency, which was hotly contested in 1997 general election.[13]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c Sarah Ng and Nur Dianah Suhaimi (26 November 2006). "Posh Punggol v 'Ulu' Sengkang". The Sunday Times. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help); Text "page" ignored (help)
  2. ^ a b c d e Tee Hun Ching (24 September 2000). "Life behind the vales". The Straits Times. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  3. ^ a b c Jose Raymond (8 February 2000). "Sengkang takes shape". The Straits Times. p. 28. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  4. ^ a b c d "Fancy living in an ocean park?". The Straits Times. 24 September 2000. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  5. ^ a b c Cindy Lim (11 April 2000). "Slow start in Sengkang". The Straits Times. p. 40. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  6. ^ Natalie Soh and Kenneth Lim (18 June 1999). "Few amenities in Sengkang". The Straits Times. p. 56. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  7. ^ "More amenities for Sengkang". The Straits Times. 12 June 2000. p. 34. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  8. ^ "Task force became model for meeting people's needs". The Sunday Times. 19 March 2006. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  9. ^ Geraldine Yeo (20 April 1999). "Travel to be seamless in Sengkang". The Straits Times. p. 4. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  10. ^ Khaw Boon Wan (26 November 2002). "The ticket to seamless travel". The Straits Times. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  11. ^ "$14m state-of-the-art facility can house 700". The Straits Times. 20 May 2001. p. 31. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  12. ^ Li Xueying, Laurel Teo, Sim Chi Yin, Goh Chin Lian, Tee Hun Ching, Lynn Kan and Sonia Tan (20 May 2006). "The road ahead". The Straits Times. p. S8. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help); line feed character in |author= at position 67 (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. ^ Laurel Teo (27 January 2001). "MPs, not the Elections Department, draw up wards". The Straits Times. p. H10. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)

References

  • Victor R Savage, Brenda S A Yeoh (2003). Toponymics - A Study of Singapore Street Names. Singapore: Eastern Universities Press. ISBN 981-210-205-1.

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