Jurong Lake District, the second biggest business district in Singapore outside the city.

Jurong Lake District Development: A Property Investment Hotspot in West Region

The Jurong Lake District (JLD) is a major development project in western Singapore aimed at creating new business and leisure opportunities outside the Central Business District (CBD). In fact, it has been dubbed Singapore’s second CBD.

It will also be a model for urban sustainability under the Singapore Green Plan 2030, spearheading Singapore’s ambition to be a carbon services hub and a leading centre for green finance in Asia and globally.

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) is leading the development of the Jurong Lake District, with a focus on building commercial and residential developments, as well as amenities and recreational facilities. The goal is to transform Jurong into a hub for business, innovation, and leisure.

The plans for Jurong Lake District have continued to evolve since its blueprint was first unveiled in the URA Master Plan 2008.

It is a 410-hectare development that consists of four main precincts:

  1. Jurong Gateway, the existing commercial node around Jurong East MRT station.
  2. Lakeside East, a new mixed-use precinct around the future Cross-Island Line station.
  3. Lakeside West, a complementary leisure and recreational precinct surrounding Jurong Lake Gardens.
  4. International Business Park, a commercial and business hub that focuses on R&D, technology, and knowledge-based industries.
Jurong Lake Gardens, a key feature of the Jurong Lake District

Jurong Lake Gardens

The Jurong Lake Gardens is a key feature of Jurong Lake District. It is a stunning 90 ha garden with family-friendly features such as a nature-inspired playground, therapeutic garden, Butterfly Maze, cycling tracks, and much more!

Hence, it is no surprise that it has become a popular destination for families and tourists, which will contribute to the rejuvenation of the district.

Below are some of the exciting developments taking place to transform the western region of Singapore.

 

Jurong Lake District - A Place to Live, Work and Play

In the next two decades, the government will be prioritising the sale of sites within the district, with more than 120 hectares of land available for development over the next 30 years.

With more flexibility in zoning, land tenure and phasing compared to other districts, companies can experiment with new development concepts and innovative ways to integrate live, work and play.

By 2040 to 2050, Jurong Lake District will have 100,000 new jobs and 20,000 new homes, adding to the one million residents already in the West Region.

New mobility corridors will also be developed to make it easier to travel around the west. This will include a new 11 km-long sky corridor that allows pedestrians, cyclists and autonomous shuttles to move seamlessly within the precinct to nearby transport hubs and exciting lifestyle areas.

In addition, the future Jurong Canal Drive Extension will be designed for buses only. It will connect two ‘car-lite’ districts - Tengah and Jurong Lake District - with existing footpaths and bike lanes widened and lined with shadier trees for a more pleasant walking and cycling experience.

Plans are also afoot to develop a new integrated tourism development within the district that will provide high quality leisure activities and accommodation. This will bring more vibrancy to the precinct when fully developed (more on this below).

Jurong Lake District - Sky Corridor

Sky Corridor

Jurong Canal Drive Extension - Part of the Developement of Jurong Lake District

Jurong Canal Drive Extension

Upcoming Commercial & Residential Developments In Jurong Lake District

New Commercial and Residential Developments next to Jurong East Integrated Transport Hub

New Commercial and Residential Developments

To kickstart the next phase of development in Jurong Lake District, the government will be releasing a 6.8 ha White site in the first half of 2023. This is equivalent to almost 10 football fields, which will include three plots of land connecting the Jurong East MRT interchange station and the future Jurong Lake District station along the Cross Island Line.

The development is expected to include approximately 150,000 sqm of office space, 1,760 private residential units, and 75,000 sqm GFA of complementary uses that will include retail, hotel, and community facilities.

The proposed integrated development will be progressively rolled out over the next 5 to 10 years to meet market demand.

 

En bloc Redevelopments

Besides land being offered under the government land sale (GLS) programme for residential developments, new supply will also come from en bloc redevelopments.

In May 2022, Lakeside Apartments at Yuan Ching Road was sold to Winville Investment, a subsidiary of Singapore-listed Wing Tai Holdings. The developer plans to turn the 12,465.4 sq m (134,177 sq ft) site into a more than 300-unit residential development with unobsructed views of Jurong Lake Gardens, which include the Chinese Garden and Japanese Garden.

The new development, known as LakeGarden Residences, is expected to be launched in the 3rd quarter of 2023.

After Lakeside Apartments, Park View Mansions, also located at Yuan Ching Road, was sold en bloc in July 2022 to a joint venture of Chip Eng Seng Corporation, KSH Holdings and SingHaiyi. Located next to the Jurong Lake Gardens, they intend to redevelop the site into a condominium with up to 440 units.

Meanwhile, Lakepoint Condominium, located about 7 minutes' walk from the Lakeside MRT station, has attempted an en bloc sale. Currently, it is undergoing private treaty discussion.

The latest development to join the en bloc fray is Lakeside Towers. Located only about 220m from the upcoming LakeGarden Residences (former Lakeside Apartments), it can yield an estimated 395 apartments, if successful.

If you wish to receive updates on these developments, please WhatsApp Me.

 

New Integrated Transport Hub and MRT Stations

Currently, the district is served by three MRT stations – Jurong East (an interchange between the East-West and North-South Line), Chinese Garden (East-West Line), and Lakeside (East-West Line). In the not-too-distant future, the Jurong East station will be joined by the Jurong Regional Line.

New MRT Stations in Jurong Lake District

New MRT Stations

As part of the development of the Jurong Lake District, more MRT stations will be built. These include the Jurong Town Hall (Jurong Regional Line) and Jurong Lake District (Cross Island Line) stations. They are expected to be operational by 2028 and 2032, respectively.

The Jurong Regional Line, when completed, will offer convenient access to the Nanyang Technological University (NTU), a research-intensive and one of the leading universities in the world.

Meanwhile, the construction of the Jurong East integrated transport hub (ITB) is already in progress. Completion is expected in 2027.

An integrated transport hub is a fully air-conditioned bus station that is connected to an MRT station and nearby commercial developments such as shopping malls. The Jurong East integrated transport hub will include a 27-story building connected by a sky bridge to an 8-story building. These two building will house offices, retail spaces and other public facilities.

 

New Jurong Regional Library

The Jurong Regional Library will be relocated from its current site to the Jurong East integrated transport hub 400m away.

Set to open in 2028, the relocation is part of the plan to create a cluster that will include a community club and sports centre to serve residents in the West region. This will complement the vibrant commercial node around Jurong East MRT station.

The site of the current Jurong Regional Library is set to be replaced by a residential development with shops at the first storey, according to the updated URA’s master plan. This is to inject more varied uses into the area as part of the broader effort to develop Jurong Lake District into the largest business district outside the city.

This will bring jobs closer to home and support Singapore's economic development.

 

Planned Integrated Tourism Development In Jurong Lake District

Integrated Tourism Development at Jurong Lake District.

Integrated Tourism Development

Recently, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has unveiled plans to develop a new integrated tourism development in JLD. It is envisaged to be a world-class destination that will offer a mix of attractions, a hotel, retail, F&B, and entertainment, with themes focused on technology, edutainment, sustainability, and wellness.

Located adjacent to the new Science Centre and the Jurong Lake Gardens, this iconic development will help to strengthen and enhance Singapore’s tourism experiences in the post-pandemic world.

 

New Singapore Science Centre

A new science centre in Singapore is set to open in 2027 in the Jurong Lake District. it will be located next to the Chinese Garden MRT station.

It aims to be a one-stop destination for visitors to access STEM education and experiences. to achieve this, a new observatory and digital fabrication lab will be built.

The design of the new Science Centre is inspired by the natural landscape and lake at Jurong Lake Gardens. The building will consist of five interlocking rectangular blocks with large windows, which will offer strategic views of the lake.

It will also optimize the use of the surrounding landscape, creating a structure that looks to be floating above the parkland and lake.

The new centre will include several new features such as a children's gallery, which will have its own interactive outdoor waterplay area, discovery trails in a secondary forest, and a sensory trail at the roof garden. There will also be specialized labs and workshops, and an outdoor activity plaza.

The focus of the new Science Centre will be on sustainability. Hence, it will adopt green technologies and intelligent building management systems to reduce energy use, as well as educate visitors on sustainability practices such as vertical farming systems, through programmes and exhibitions.

There are also plans to strengthen existing collaborations and grow new partnerships with local companies, schools, institutes of higher learning, and the community to co-create STEM programmes, exhibitions, and relevant activities.

New Singapore Science Centre in Jurong Lake District

New Singapore Science Centre

Singapore Science Centre Exhibition Gallery - Property Investment in Jurong Lake District

Singapore Science Centre Exhibition Gallery

Jurong Innovation District (JID)

In addition to the above-mentioned plans, the government has also implemented several initiatives to promote the Jurong Lake District as a hub for business, high-technology, and innovation. This includes the Jurong Innovation District (JID) announced in 2019.

It will be a key development designed to foster innovation and growth in the industrial sector. Led by JTC, a national developer of industrial infrastructure, it will feature Launchpad@JID, a space for entrepreneurs, researchers, and students to develop and test new ideas.

JID aims to bring together researchers, innovators, and businesses to work on the products and services of the future, creating an environment housing different activities within a single next-generation industrial district.

Being strategically located near the Nanyang Technological University (NTU), this allows for close collaboration between entrepreneurs, academia, and students.

Jurong Innovation District - Property Investment Hotspot

Jurong Innovation District

Jurong Lake District, Jurong Innovation District and NTU Map Location

JLD, JID and NTU Map Location

Jurong Lake District - A Property Investment Outlook

With the government pouring significant resources into the development of Jurong Lake District, making it the largest business district outside the city, this will ultimately boost the value of properties.

However, many of the exciting developments are still ongoing or in their planning stage, which will provide property investors a first-mover advantage. Hence, it is no surprise that Copen Grand, an executive condominium located at Tengah nearby, was fully sold a month after its launch in October 2022. This attests to the confidence that properties in the Jurong Lake District will continue enjoy significant growth potential.

For those who missed out on Copen Grand, the next executive condo launch in the west will be at Bukit Batok West Avenue 8. Known as Altura Executive Condo, it is expected to be launched around 2Q 2023.

Meanwhile, the LakeGarden Residences (former site of Lakeside Apartments) and Park View Mansions at Yuan Ching Road will likely be launched end-2023. Future developments will include rebuilding JCube into a mixed-use development. Known as J'Den, it is expected to be launched in the second half of 2023 and will comprise a 40-storey residential block with commercial on the first and second storey.

New housing developments will also be be built around the Jurong East MRT Interchange which will yield about 1,760 residential units, as announced by URA on 8 December 2022.

For those looking for more immediate property investment may wish to consider two upcoming developments at one-north. Located near the Buona Vista MRT station, which is 3 stops from Jurong East, they will likely be launched in 2Q 2023.

For more information and launch preview, please feel free to WhatsApp Me.

 

In the chart below, we will examine how property prices have performed since the government announced the development of the Jurong Lake District in April 2008. Three main property segments are highlighted:

  • Private condominium
  • Landed housing
  • HDB flats
District 22 Property Price Trends - Private Condos vs Landed vs HDB Flats

District 22 Property Price Trends

As can be seen, after former Minister of National Development (MND) Mah Bow Tan announced the development of the Jurong Lake District in April 2008, property prices have shot up.

  • Private condominiums: +119.48%
  • Landed housing: +144.65%
  • HDB flats: +88.49%

Property prices have continued to trend higher as the transformation gathers pace with developments such as the Jurong East Integrated Transport Hub and Jurong Innovation District (JID), for example.

Prior to the announcement of the development of the Jurong Lake District, property prices for all three segments were stagnant or even declining.

 

Conclusion

The development of the Jurong Lake District offers a great opportunity for those looking to invest in the Western region of Singapore. With its focus on sustainability, innovation, and leisure, the development promises to be a vibrant and dynamic ecosystem to work, live, play, and study.

Moreover, its strategic location and excellent connectivity to the rest of Singapore offer great investment potential.

In conclusion, sound property investment involves many factors, which include seizing the growth opportunity under the URA Master Plan. If your are keen to find out about our "7 Steps Framework to Identify Low-Risk High-Profit Potential Properties", please WhatsApp Me.

 


Other New Property Launches

Besides the above new property launches, you may wish to check out the following:

Click on the link for more project information.

Posted in Property Hotspots.

Hi, I'm Lance Kuan, an Associate Marketing Manager at Huttons Asia Pte Ltd, one of the largest property agencies in Singapore.

With almost 30 years of experience in banking, investment and market analysis, I now find immense pleasure helping others in property investment and asset progression.

My blog - Sg Home Investment - offers essential property reviews, research and guides to help buyers make informed decisions. Please feel free to contact me if you have any queries about the real estate market in Singapore.