Long wait for units in BTO project

Long wait for units in BTO project

SINGAPORE - IN 2011, the Ministry of National Development said the waiting time for new flats would be cut to about 21/2 years ("More HDB flats - and at a faster rate"; May 28, 2011).

However, in the Punggol BayView Build-to-Order (BTO) project, which was open for applications in January this year, the expected possession date for some units is in December 2019 - five years' time.

Assuming a couple in their late 20s get married after three years of courtship and are lucky enough to select a unit in their first BTO application, it could be close to eight years after they first met before they can have their own home and first child, by which time the woman would be above the ideal child-bearing age.

The HDB should strive to meet the timeframe that the ministry has committed to.

Letter from Yang Zhongcheng


This article was first published on July 03, 2014.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

This website is best viewed using the latest versions of web browsers.