Like 'living in a condo estate'
Relocated residents are happy with Sers completion of Goodview flats
Monday • December 12, 2005
Ansley Ng
[email protected]
SIX years ago, when told that they would be moving out of their homes in Hillview Avenue and relocated to new flats in Goodview Gardens under the Selective En-bloc Redevelopment Scheme (Sers), many residents from the 11 blocks kicked up a fuss.
Airing their grouses to their MP Ang Mong Seng, some complained about the compensation package, while others were unhappy that their new homes would be near MRT tracks. Many said they had gotten used to living in their Hillview flats, which were built in the late 1970s.
But yesterday, much of that unhappiness was put aside as many former Hillview residents witnessed the Sers completion ceremony at their new home along Bukit Batok Avenue 5. The Goodview cluster consists of 13 blocks of flats. Each block has six to eight units per floor, served by four lifts, giving residents "privacy and exclusivity", said the Housing Development Board.
Cleaner Cheong Nee Leong, 65, who lives in a four-room flat in block 392 with his wife and three children, said he did not have to pay a cent to move from his four-room flat in Hillview, where he had lived for 27 years. The move, he said, was "better for his children".
"The rooms are much smaller compared to my former home. But the good thing is that most of my old neighbours from Hillview is here," he added.
Speaking yesterday, National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan said a HDB survey in 1999 found that 86 per cent of Hillview residents polled had supported the move.
He singled out Mr Ang's efforts for special mention, telling residents: "He untiringly sought to find out and understand your needs and concerns. As a result of his representations, I announced in July 1999 several fine-tuning measures."
These included bigger floor areas and a higher loan quantum for hardship cases.
"It is important to ensure that the older towns do not decline or degenerate into slums. Sers is an effective programme to achieve this," Mr Mah added.
Since 1995, Sers has seen 25,000 households relocate to new flats.
Residents of 1,369 Hillview households — out of a total of 1,820 sold and rental flats — chose to relocate to four- and five-room flats at the Goodview site. Surplus flats were offered for sale to the public.
Another resident, who only wanted to be known as Madam Tan, said her new home was like "living in a condominium estate". "But compared to my old house, I now have to walk further to the market," she added.
Mr Mah said Mr Ang had asked HDB to convert half the eating houses into a minimart, after learning of the difficulties elderly residents had in walking to Neighbourhood 3 to do their grocery shopping. The conversion works will be completed in about four months.
Relocated residents are happy with Sers completion of Goodview flats
Monday • December 12, 2005
Ansley Ng
[email protected]
SIX years ago, when told that they would be moving out of their homes in Hillview Avenue and relocated to new flats in Goodview Gardens under the Selective En-bloc Redevelopment Scheme (Sers), many residents from the 11 blocks kicked up a fuss.
Airing their grouses to their MP Ang Mong Seng, some complained about the compensation package, while others were unhappy that their new homes would be near MRT tracks. Many said they had gotten used to living in their Hillview flats, which were built in the late 1970s.
But yesterday, much of that unhappiness was put aside as many former Hillview residents witnessed the Sers completion ceremony at their new home along Bukit Batok Avenue 5. The Goodview cluster consists of 13 blocks of flats. Each block has six to eight units per floor, served by four lifts, giving residents "privacy and exclusivity", said the Housing Development Board.
Cleaner Cheong Nee Leong, 65, who lives in a four-room flat in block 392 with his wife and three children, said he did not have to pay a cent to move from his four-room flat in Hillview, where he had lived for 27 years. The move, he said, was "better for his children".
"The rooms are much smaller compared to my former home. But the good thing is that most of my old neighbours from Hillview is here," he added.
Speaking yesterday, National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan said a HDB survey in 1999 found that 86 per cent of Hillview residents polled had supported the move.
He singled out Mr Ang's efforts for special mention, telling residents: "He untiringly sought to find out and understand your needs and concerns. As a result of his representations, I announced in July 1999 several fine-tuning measures."
These included bigger floor areas and a higher loan quantum for hardship cases.
"It is important to ensure that the older towns do not decline or degenerate into slums. Sers is an effective programme to achieve this," Mr Mah added.
Since 1995, Sers has seen 25,000 households relocate to new flats.
Residents of 1,369 Hillview households — out of a total of 1,820 sold and rental flats — chose to relocate to four- and five-room flats at the Goodview site. Surplus flats were offered for sale to the public.
Another resident, who only wanted to be known as Madam Tan, said her new home was like "living in a condominium estate". "But compared to my old house, I now have to walk further to the market," she added.
Mr Mah said Mr Ang had asked HDB to convert half the eating houses into a minimart, after learning of the difficulties elderly residents had in walking to Neighbourhood 3 to do their grocery shopping. The conversion works will be completed in about four months.
