Touring a private and quiet freehold landed estate at Sunset View, Lifestyle News

PUBLISHED ONNovember 10, 2024 6:13 AMByTJ

A few months back, we visited Sunset Way to look at the houses in this freehold, quiet enclave just down the road from Bukit Timah.

And since housing prices have been escalating in Singapore, I know of several people who've shifted from the Holland-Bukit Timah area to Sunset to stretch their budgets.

(Note: the area is not to be confused with Sunset Avenue, which is located off Eng Neo in prime Bukit Timah.) Now, Sunset Way is a HUGE area. (Before we toured Sunset Grove/Close, we stopped by the estate to look at the humongous Clementi Park condo in 2022.)

Hence, today, I thought it'd be interesting to take a tour of the other end of the Sunset enclave, namely the very long street Sunset View, to see exactly why this estate is so appealing. Before we start, let's look at the map so you can orientate yourself.

We'll be visiting the street marked by the red dot. When we were last here, we were right on the opposite end, over at Sunset Grove/Sunset Way/Sunset Close, the 4 short parallel streets behind Sunset Way playground.

One thing you may have noticed is that Sunset View, despite having larger houses, is located closer to the HDB blocks in front of the Sunset landed estate. The area is still very quiet and private though, as it's separated by a large green area (Maju Forest), and I didn't hear any noise during my walkabout.

In other words, one row of houses on Sunset View will have no direct neighbours in front or behind them, something quite rare in Singapore. (The houses in front are separated by the road, Sunset View, and the back is Maju Forest.)

In my opinion, a huge part of the appeal of living along Sunset View is the unparalleled privacy it enjoys thanks to this. This might sound sad, but the first thing that came to mind was "Will the privacy last?" So off we go to check the Masterplan.

Aha! Indeed, the large green space is zoned "residential, subject to detailed planning." Why am I not surprised.

When I Googled, I couldn't find any news of any immediate plans to develop the plot. However, the Sunset area has been on the redevelopment radar at least since 2007, when $1.5 million was allocated to rejuvenate the area, turning it into a mini foodie paradise. (You can read more about the revitalisation of the area here.)

Since then, we've had the announcement of the nearby Maju MRT in September 2022 (expected to be completed in 2032.) About 14 per cent of Maju Forest was cleared to create Brookvale Drive, which leads from the estate to this MRT.

Example of one of the houses along Sunset View — it's mostly detached units here vs the terraces and semi-Ds we saw at Sunset Close/Grove. PHOTO: Stackedhomes

As I've mentioned before, the main "Sunset Way" road is quite busy. However, Sunset View is not directly linked to it and thus it won't get much commuting traffic.

It is quite a bit deeper in (aka more private but also further from public transport) than Sunset Grove. (Sunset Grove also has the shortcut to Clementi Avenue 6, where you can find a direct bus to Clementi MRT.)

According to Google Maps, Sunset View will be a 25-minute walk from the upcoming Maju MRT station and is a 9-15 minute walk from the current closest bus stop, which is located on Clementi Road.

It's also about 19 minutes by bus to Clement MRT or a 27-minute walk. In other words, you might need your own transport — or be okay with using Grab a lot if you live here.

Sunset View is bisected by Sunset Drive on one end, and Sunset Place on the other/top end. The walk to Sunset View (from Clementi Road) starts quite flat, but slowly starts sloping up. PHOTO: Stackedhomes

As shown, the area around Sunset View is quite rolling. PHOTO: Stackedhomes

This can result in one house being elevated quite a bit above its immediate neighbour. PHOTO: Stackedhomes

At the start of the Sunset View Road — looking towards Maju Forest. Similar to what we saw on Sunset Drive, there is a lot of street parking space. I have a few friends living and working in this part of Singapore and I've never had parking issues when I visit them (except for when I try to park at the HDB.) PHOTO: Stackedhomes

Looking down Sunset View — I wouldn't mind living here! It's refreshing to visit an estate and not be hemmed in by cars parked on the road or high-rise buildings. PHOTO: Stackedhomes

The street width is so generous, that I can't capture the houses on both sides of the road in one photo frame. (Perhaps aided by the fact that there are abundant green plants on the streets too.) I spy a security guard outpost — I wonder if someone prominent is living on this street. PHOTO: Stackedhomes

The Sunset estate is to my left, and Maju Forest is to my right.

Personally, I'd prefer to live in the houses on the right as, not only do they have more privacy, they're also more elevated. The houses on the left sometimes slope down a bit.

Now, if you follow this column, you'll know I'm always waxing on ecstatically about properties located near green spaces. However, I'll be the first to admit that they have their challenges.

First and foremost, wildlife issues. I grew up near Clementi Forest and pythons, cobras, and monkeys were not an unusual sight. There was even a monkey couple that used to visit me regularly!

I've not seen any monkeys or snakes when visiting friends in Sunset, but there have been news reports of monkeys spotted in the nearby Clementi HDB estate.

According to the article, there are "monkeys climbing up the HDB block around five times a week." (This would be Block 118, Clementi Street 13.) You can even watch a video of the monkeys doing so here:

Now the location of the block is between Maju Forest and Clementi Forest (albeit separated by a very large, very busy road) so the monkeys could technically be from Clementi Forest. However, another resident says (in the same article) that he's seen monkeys "near the side of the block that borders the Maju Forest" and that hikers have seen them on walks. Definitely food for thought if you're planning on moving here.

OK, enough about wildlife and let's continue our walkabout.

As we walk further down the road, we start seeing some cars on the roadside but nothing that makes the area feel congested. You can still drive and walk down very comfortably. PHOTO: Stackedhomes

Passed a vintage property along the way. Doesn't the setting look so peaceful, with the greenery behind? PHOTO: Stackedhomes

This house lies on our right hand side, so closer to Maju Forest. If you squint through the gate, you can see what I mean about the road sloping down from the houses on the right to the houses on the left. PHOTO: Stackedhomes

As stated earlier, this is a very long road. PHOTO: Stackedhomes

Passed more houses — as shown, there is room to build upwards for some of the older units. PHOTO: Stackedhomes

Better photographic evidence of the slope leading up to the houses on the right — no need to squint and you'll be able to see the steps up here. PHOTO: Stackedhomes

Many trees line the street, making the area feel even greener, and giving the houses even more privacy. PHOTO: Stackedhomes

Different folks, different strokes, but I would need a car if I could afford to live here — just look at that slope! (Or never leave the estate.) PHOTO: Stackedhomes

This brings us to the end of Sunset View. There's no through road directly ahead, but there is access to Sunset Place on the left. We're going to take a quick walk down Sunset Place to see the 2nd best part about living here (again, in my humble opinion.) PHOTO: Stackedhomes

I'm standing at the junction of Sunset View and Sunset Place and ahead is a ginormous playground. As shown, it's literally a stone's throw away so no excuses for not using it. PHOTO: Stackedhomes

Turning back to take one last look at the street before we make our way to the Sunset Heights Open Space. PHOTO: Stackedhomes

As you can see, it's indeed very open, though there is a nice shaded gazebo for people to sit and enjoy the open air. (There is also another, even larger playground over at the Sunset Close/Sunset Grove end, so residents in this estate are in no way shortchanged when it comes to play areas.) PHOTO: Stackedhomes

Even though it's called an Open Space, there is a very small dedicated kids' play area next to the walking path. PHOTO: Stackedhomes

Close-up of what's on offer. Nothing that exciting, maybe that's why I've never seen people in the playgrounds of this estate, but I do often see the residents taking a walk around the area. PHOTO: Stackedhomes

That's the condo behind, so the playground may get busier as Ki Residences fills up. PHOTO: Stackedhomes

Close-up of the shaded pavilion where parents and caretakers can sit and watch the kids at play. PHOTO: Stackedhomes

And this brings us to the end of the walking path, as we exit onto Sunset Heights. PHOTO: Stackedhomes

That's it for today's walking tour. How did you find it compared to Sunset Grove/Close? Of course, the price points are quite different too. (If you want to know more about the amenities within walking distance, click here.)