By the 1980s, Tampines Town Centre and some of its surrounding areas such as Tampines North, Tampines East, Tampines West and Tampines Changkat gradually took shape.
Going back to the beginning of the 1990s, the Singapore government mooted the idea of decentralising economic activity from the Central Business District (CBD) to other parts of the island. This gave birth to regional centres and Tampines was the first to be built in 1992. Almost 30 years later, Tampines is now the most established of all the regional centres in Singapore.
Expansion of Tampines Regional Centre
Tampines has developed into a vibrant mega estate with many exciting new developments such as Our Tampines Hub (OTH) and the opening of new MRT stations on the Downtown Line (DTL) in 2017.
The opening of the Downtown Line resulted in three MRT stations being built in the area – Tampines West and Tampines East, in addition to the existing Tampines station, which is an interchange between the East-West and Downtown Lines. This has provided much-improved accessibility and helps to shorten travelling times for residents in Tampines to many parts of Singapore.
Meanwhile, under the URA Master Plan for the East, Tampines North will be developed to provide 21,000 new homes along with a comprehensive range of facilities and commercial developments. A new MRT station, Tampines North, will be built along the new Cross Island Line (CRL) where its Phase 1 is scheduled to be completed by 2029.
When the Cross Island Line is fully completed, it will serve existing and future developments in the eastern, western, and north-eastern corridors. These include major hubs such as Changi Region, Punggol Digital District, and Jurong Lake District.
The Tampines North station is just one stop from the Pasir Ris Interchange and four stops from the Changi Aviation Park. The Changi Aviation Park is an air cargo cluster that will be expanded with the development of the Changi East Industrial Zone. This is to cater to new aviation-related sectors and businesses that rely on air connectivity globally.
With the Cross Island Line forming a comprehensive MRT network with the Downtown and East-West Lines, the improved connectivity will further boost the desirability of housing developments in Tampines. This is evidenced by the strong demand for Parc Central Residences EC and Tenet EC during their launch.
Tampines Town Council's 5-Year Masterplan
The Tampines Town Council launched its 2025 to 2030 Master Plan in February 2025, seeking to improve the quality of life for residents. The plan focuses on connectivity, community spaces, and green living, which will ultimately benefit Tampines North.
Key aspects of the plan include:
Integrated Transport Hub: Plans are underway for a new integrated transport hub to improve convenience and connectivity for residents, anchoring a pedestrian and active mobility network. The hub aims to allow families to walk through streets with shops, cafes, and greenery.
Enhanced Pedestrian Network: Enhancements to the pedestrian walking route between Tampines MRT station and the malls in Tampines are planned. Part of Tampines Central 5 may be transformed into a pedestrianised street connecting the malls and the MRT station. The goal is to create a people-first town centre with world-class streets, drawing inspiration from urban designs such as Osaka Street Market.
Cycling Infrastructure: By 2027, a cycling bridge, an underpass, and an additional 7.7km of cycling paths will be added, bringing the total to 40km. The cycling bridge will allow cyclists to cross the Tampines Expressway (TPE) for journeys between Tampines and Pasir Ris.
“20-Minute Town" Enhancements: Tampines is already considered a "20-minute town," where residents can reach neighbourhood centres via public transport, walking, or cycling within 20 minutes. The new infrastructure will solidify this status.
Revitalised Community Spaces: Underused land will be transformed into new spaces for work, leisure, and community life. New mixed-use developments will integrate residential, commercial, and public spaces to meet the demand for work-life integration.
Green Living: Tampines aims to be a "model of living green," with more energy-efficient buildings in the Regional Centre. The district cooling network, already operational in 2025, connects seven buildings, including Tampines Mall, to share resources and reduce energy use from air-conditioning. This is equivalent to powering over 710 three-room HDB households for a year.
Community Input: Residents will be consulted for ideas to ensure the designs reflect Tampines' identity. The town council will consult residents on how they want community spaces designed.
Reimagined Tampines Central Park: The park will include a play zone for families, multi-generational fitness amenities, and multi-sports play courts.
Elderly-Friendly Features: New infrastructure and amenities will include elderly-friendly features, such as upcycled MRT seats under linkways for resting spots, more overhead bridges with lifts and barrier-free access, and other road safety features.
Car-Lite: To create a pedestrian-friendly town centre where there is no need to drive. The vision is for Tampines residents to live, work, and play without needing a car.
Redevelopment of Paya Lebar Airbase to Enhance Living Standards
The Paya Lebar Airbase is merely a 10-minute drive away or a 20-minute bus ride from Tampines Central.
First announced by the government in 2013, the airbase will be relocated from the 2030s onward to free up the whole area and transform it into a highly liveable and sustainable new town. Five times the size of Toa Payoh Town, the plans will include developing a commercial hub to create jobs and lifestyle amenities for future residents.
It will likely be linked to the Tampines North MRT station via the Cross Island Line (CRL). Given their close proximity, Tampines residents can look forward to more employment opportunities, lifestyle amenities and leisure facilities, enhancing their living standards.
Development of Tampines North Township
The new Tampines North township is an extension of the Tampines regional centre. Along with 21,000 new homes to be built, essential amenities such as a community club, a polyclinic, and schools will be developed to serve residents.
Some of the latest developments include Parktown Residence and Aurelle of Tampines EC. Partown Residence is the largest integrated development in Singapore and it comprises a shopping mall with about 120 shops and various amenities.
That is not all. More green spaces will be added with the construction of two major parks – Boulevard Park and Quarry Park. These will supplement the current collection of parks found around Tampines.
Boulevard Park will feature a line of seasonal flowering trees that connects residents to Sun Plaza Park while Quarry Park will showcase a quarry pond to reflect Tampines’ past as a sand quarry.
In line with the government’s effort to create a car-lite city, park connectors, and cycling paths will be built to seamlessly link various parts of the mega estate to amenities and nature parks.
Completion of Tampines Boulevard Park’s West Section
Tampines Boulevard Park
The Tampines Boulevard Park’s west section has been completed, offering residents another green space in the neighbourhood.
The park - comprising the east and west sections - was designed with feedback from Tampines residents.
The park’s east section is slated to open in December 2024 and it is separated from the west section by Tampines Avenue 12.
Spanning 4.78ha, slightly larger than 6.5 football fields, the west section features amenities such as a 60m-long cycling track for children, garden swings, a fitness area, a nature play garden, and a lawn for activities.
The nature play garden features a slide designed to resemble a dragon head and was constructed using natural materials such as Balau wood and laminated wood grain panels. It aims to encourage play and closer connections to nature.
Children can also enjoy the park’s sand play area, which includes swings and a rock wall, inspired by the former Tampines sand quarries.
Employment Centres Nearby
The development of Tampines North is part of the government’s larger plan for the East region, seeking to provide residents with access to jobs close to their homes.
Nearby commercial nodes, industrial estates, and business parks will be developed to offer job opportunities in semi-conductor, aviation-related, and high-tech R&D industries.
These developments will expand from existing clusters in Loyang Industrial Estate, Changi Business Park, and Changi Airport, creating a mega economic hub.
This integrated approach ensures a holistic living environment for residents to live, work, play, and study, which will ultimately boost its investment appeal.
Tampines Retail Park
The Tampines Retail Park situated at Tampines North is well-known for its three megastores – IKEA Tampines, Giant Hypermarket, and Courts Megastore. They form a retail ecosystem with the other major shopping malls at Tampines Central.
Together, they offer residents from the surrounding estates alternative venues to stock up on necessities such as groceries, snacks, food, furniture, and household appliances.
A 6-minute drive from Tampines Central is three major shopping malls - Tampines Mall, Tampines 1, and Century Square. Together with Our Tampines Hub (OTB), they contribute to the vibrancy and popularity of the estate.
An Integrated Transport Hub In Tampines North
The development of Tampines North will feature an Integrated Transport Hub (ITH). ITHs are fully air-conditioned bus interchanges that seamlessly link to MRT stations and adjoining commercial developments such as shopping malls.
The development of the Tampines North integrated transport hub will significantly enhance connectivity between Tampines and other major housing estates such as Pasir Ris, Bedok, Punggol, Woodlands, and the future township at Paya Lebar Airbase.
As major commercial centres typically develop around ITHs, this will drive rapid growth in the surrounding areas, which will help to raise property values.
Hence, the exciting development of Tampines North will continue to boost housing demand, as witnessed by the strong sales of Tenet executive condo and Pasir Ris 8. As the estate develops, it will offer astute property investors the first-mover advantage.
For those still looking for a new property in the East, the upcoming Parktown Residence and Aurelle of Tampines EC are worth considering since they are beside the Tampines North integrated hub.
Those looking for post-launched private condos may wish to check out Sky Eden at Bedok and Sceneca Residence at Tanah Merah. For more information on the above projects, please WhatsApp or Email us.
Meanwhile, you may also be interested in the following property hotspots:
- Tampines Regional Centre
- Jurong Lake District
- Greater Southern Waterfront
- Woodlands Regional Centre
- one-north
- Newton & Novena
- Bayshore and Long Island
