H88.com.sg » HDB Reviews » HDB BTO - Punggol Residences Review

Image: HDB

Location
Although at this point in time no one knows for sure what the remaining plots found within the designated Town Centre will turn out to be, we all know that land is limited and that Punggol Residences could be described as one of the last projects to enjoy such close proximity to Punggol MRT/LRT station and future amenities.

So far, only Punggol Regalia (launched in Dec 2008) can match it in terms of convenience within the Punggol estate. The remaining plots of land (highlighted in yellow below) will most likely be reserved for the development of the town centre which could take the form of commercial buildings for retail, condominiums for up-market residences or a mix of both.

In general, the Punggol 21+ program seems to be picking up speed with infrastructure such as highways to the city (KPE) completed while the much touted Punggol Waterway has been under construction for a few months now.

On a side note, the infamous Matilda House which sits north-west of of Punggol Residences is not really an abandoned haunted house where many unspeakable horrors happened. It is but one of the oldest and most respectable houses in Singapore that has been designated conservation status and once belonged to the Cashin family.

Transport
Punggol MRT station is at the doorstep of Punggol Residences. The longest one would have to walk to the station would be likely 5 mins. Just a little further is the Temporary Bus Interchange and future town centre.

With the TPE just round the corner, connecting to the city has never been easier considering the quick commute time now possible with the KPE fully functional. A drive to the East Coast, Fort road exit through the entire length roughly takes 20 minutes at most with fair road conditions. The TPE also brings drivers quickly to Changi Airport (10 minutes) and the northern part of the island.

Closest MRT:
Punggol MRT (~150m)

Bus Services:
Take your pick, from the entire Temporary Bus Interchange! (~150m)

Amenities
Although the project itself is pretty bare save for an Education Centre at the 1st storey of Block 271A, there is an eating house, supermarket and childcare centre beyond the MRT tracks in Punggol Regalia. The proposed future town centre will also be just north-east of its location.

Closest Schools:
Edgefield Primary School (~500m)
Punggol Secondary School (~550m)
Compassvale Secondary School (~1km)
Greendale Secondary School (~1km)

Closest Shopping Centres:
Rivervale Mall (~1.3km)
Punggol Plaza (~1.35km)
Compass Point (~1.64km)

Design

The design of Punggol Residences (769 units) unfortunately is somewhat “lazy” despite being a premium project - 8 blocks are placed two in a row, one after the other. Although there is decent breathing space between blocks, units will undeniably come face-to-face despite being angled slightly off each other.

Punggol Regalia in comparison occupies an almost equal amount of land area, has slightly lesser units (729 units), but is considerably better designed. In terms of the best units, there are 13 stacks to pick from: 517, 519, 527, 529, 531, 541, 543, 581, 589, 591, 593, 595 and 603. Obviously these are the units along the north-east and south-western fronts of the project.

Even so, the units along the north-east front might not enjoy the vew for long as the plot of land just beyond is zoned “Reserve site for future high-rise development”. Typically reserve sites in residential areas such as these, end up as mass market condominiums. Also for units closer to the elevated LRT platform (~4 floors high), waiting commuters might spend brief moments of boredom finding out what you are having for dinner.

Note the yellow reserve site north-east of Punggol Residences which could end up being a condominium, and the proposed place or worship and green space south-west of it.

South-west facing units could perhaps enjoy more privacy. No doubt residential units across the road will eventually pop up, but the extra distance of a main road, proposed place of worship (usually low rise) and some green space adds buffer. Notably, future buildings south-west of Punggol Residences will also likely be lower in terms of absolute height as plot ratios dictated in the URA Masterplan is lower at 3.0 as compared to 3.4 – in layman terms, getting the top few floors facing south-west MIGHT (we strongly emphasize MIGHT) get you a better view.

The only drawbacks of the south-west facing units we could think of are the slightly longer walks to the MRT/town centre, buzz from the main road and the annoyance of LRT tracks hovering in front of low floor units. The LRT tracks are slightly inclined, so do take a trip down to survey the site before picking the best low floor unit. Units along the eastern facing should also be aware of LRT tracks running parallel to it.

The car park seems to be pretty convenient and avoids the monstrous multi-storey variants. Units on the first floor are not typical ground floor units and are actually elevated. These can be found in blocks 272C and 271B.

Examples of individual unit layouts are shown below as seen in HDB’s brochure:

Pricing
Prices reflect Punggol Residences’ “premium” location.

4-room units Indicative Price (615 units):
Size: 91sqm/979sqf*
Indicative price Min: $264,000 (~$2901psm/$269psf)
Indicative price Max: $322,000 (~$3538psm/$330psf)

5-room units Indicative Price (154 units):
Size: 114sqm/1227sqf*
Indicative price Min: $344,000 (~$3017psm/$280psf)
Indicative price Max: $409,000 (~$3587psm/$333psf)

Nothing might seem out of the ordinary, until you compare it with Punggol Regalia which was launched about half a year ago:

Punggol Regalia 4-room units Indicative Price:
Size: 90sqm/968sqf*
Indicative price Min: $252,000 (~$2800psm/$260psf)
Indicative price Max: $316,000 (~$3511psm/$326psf)

Punggol Regalia 5-room units Indicative Price:
Size: 110sqm/1184sqf*
Indicative price Min: $342,000 (~$3109psm/$288psf)
Indicative price Max: $428,000 (~$3890psm/$361psf)

Thats right, Punggol Residences’ 5rm units are significantly cheaper compared to Regalia's.

*Internal Floor Area, based on smallest unit

Summary
We highly recommend Punggol Residences as a home, due to its proximity to the MRT station and potential future developments around it. If you are fine with living in the north-east, don't miss it. Apply by the 12th of August here.

A detailed Unit View and Door Facing map. Red arrows are the Master Bedroom View. Blue arrows are the Dining/Living View. Click for larger image.

We know Punggol Residences will be really hot, so we did a special neighborhood mash-up for you folks, so you can make the best decision. Click for a larger image.

Unit scoring in terms of desirability.
Click to download Unit Scoring Chart in excel format.

For individual unit scoring, please refer to our downloadable guides prior and during the actual selection as limited time is given. Scoring of unit desirability is relevant within this BTO project only. Please do not cross reference scores. While we try our best to give the most accurate information, we cannot guarantee our materials are completely accurate and free from errors. Always double check with HDB representatives.

Note that we have changed the calculation format slightly thanks to user contributed suggestions and feedback. Playgrounds, Fitness stations and pavilions are no longer computed as amenities.

Images and Brochures: HDB, Googlemaps