The Commodore Condo Review – Attractively Priced Near Canberra MRT

The Commodore Condo Pricing

Units at the The Commodore have been sold between a range of S$1,289 - 1,670 psf since its launched in November 2021.

Oasis Development Pte Ltd clinched The Commodore's site by submitting the highest bid of $129,196,000 at the government land sale in March 2020. With a Gross Floor Area (GFA) of 18,642 sq m (200,661 sq ft), the land cost works out to be $644 ppr/psf.

This is slightly lower than the bigger plot of land at The Watergardens next to it at $650 psf/ppr.

Given the relatively low land price, it represents an attractive entry point when considering that the Lentor Central site was sold to GuocoLand at S$1,204 psf/ppr at the government land sale in July. A month earlier, an Ang Mo Kio site was sold at $1,188 psf/ppr to a consortium of  the UOL Group. Given the high land cost of these two sites (including the escalating construction cost), these two developments will likely be launched from $2,000 psf onwards.

The Commodore Facilities

The Commodore offers a wide range of facilities that caters to all age groups. Please refer to the list below:

The Commodore Condo Location

Location Map

The Commodore condo is sited in an elongated forested area that was split into two parcels during the Government Land Sales. Occupying the smaller plot, it will be flanked by Sembawang Springs Estate in the West and the upcoming Canberra Vista HDB precinct in the East. Lying at its north and south is the Jalan Sendudok Park and The Watergardens, a new condo development that was launched for sale in late August 2021.

The Sembawang Springs Estate is a freehold semi-detached housing development that was completed around 1970. It is part of a sprawling low-rise residential enclave beside the Sembawang Shopping Centre. Hence, units in Commodore facing it will enjoy mostly unobstructed views.

On the opposite side is Canberra Vista, a new HDB precinct with fifteen 10-storey blocks consisting of 1,467 2-room flexi, 3-room, 4-room, 5-room and 3-Gen flats. Offered for sale during the BTO launch in February 2020, they are expected to be completed around 2023, but could be delayed due to the shortage of workers amid the covid-19 pandemic.

Separating The Commodore condo and Canberra Vista is Canberra Drive. Although the road is mostly low traffic, residents can expect it to get slightly busier when new housing developments beside it are completed. Nevertheless, most of the major traffic will be along Canberra Link and Yishun Avenue 2 that run alongside the MRT track more than 300m away, ensuring the immediate surrounding remains tranquil.

New public buses will be introduced at Canberra Drive along with the housing developments in the area, which will provide added convenience for residents.

Excellent Transport Services

Canberra MRT Station

Sembawang used to be considered an ‘ulu” (remote) area in the northern part of Singapore. However, this has changed as the expanded MRT network has brought improved accessibility. In fact, The Commodore condo is just 3 minutes’ walk to the Canberra MRT station and a trip to Orchard Road only takes 32 minutes.

For perspective, it takes 40 minutes to travel from Jurong East to Orchard Road.

The Commodore condo also enjoys close proximity to several MRT interchanges and these include the following:

Woodlands MRT Station – Just three stops from the Canberra station, it is an interchange between the North-South Line (NSL) and Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL). The Thomson-East Coast Line is expected to be fully operational by 2024, which will further improve the connectivity between the North Region with the rest of Singapore.

Woodlands North MRT Station – Four stops from the Canberra station, it is part of the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) that will eventually be connected to the Singapore-Johor Bahru Rapid Transit System (RTS) to be completed by 2024. It is also likely to be linked to a new bus interchange, turning it into a major transport hub.

Ang Mo Kio MRT Station – Also four stops from the Canberra station, it is an interchange between the North-South Line (NSL) and Cross Island Line (CRL). Phase 1 of the Cross Island Line is expected to be completed by 2030 and it will comprise 12 stations stretching from Changi Aviation Park to Bright Hill.

Bishan MRT Station – Five stops from the Canberra station, it is an interchange between the North-South Line (NSL) and Circle Line (CCL). It is also linked to the Junction 8 shopping mall.

Besides the MRT interchange, The Commodore condo also enjoys close proximity to three Bus/MRT interchanges, namely Sembawang, Yishun and Woodlands. The Yishun and Woodlands stations are integrated transport hubs where they are linked to commercial developments such as shopping centres.

Expressways And North-South Corridor (NSC)

North-South Corridor

The Commodore condo enjoys convenient access to major expressways such as the Tampines Expressway (TPE), Seletar Expressway (SLE) and the Central Expressway (CTE). These expressways have helped to improve connectivity to the rest of Singapore while reducing travelling time for those who drive or taking public transport.

Connectivity between the North Region with the rest of Singapore is set to improve further when the North-South Corridor (NSC) is completed by 2026. When ready, it will connect the North to the City and East Coast Parkway. It will also pass through areas such as Ang Mo Kio, Bishan and Toa Payoh, bringing an improved commuting experience while cutting down travelling time.

The NSC will be Singapore’s longest Transit Priority Corridor spanning 21.5 km. It will feature dedicated bus lanes, cycling trunk routes and pedestrian paths to provide smoother and faster journeys for everyone.

In addition, it will help to alleviate the high traffic volume on the Central Expressway (CTE) and its major arterial roads, especially during the morning and evening peak hours. With the easing of traffic jams, which is a daily occurence, this will greatly benefit residents living in the northern part of Singapore who worked in the city.

Shopping Malls Near The Commodore Condo

Canberra Plaza

The Commodore condo is blessed with a number of shopping centres nearby and these include the Canberra Plaza, Sembawang Shopping Centre, Sun Plaza, Northpoint City and Causeway Point.

In fact, the Canberra Plaza and Sembawang Shopping Centres are just 3 minutes’ walk away, which provides easy access to a plethora of amenities and food choices.

As for the rest, they are just 1 to 3 MRT stations away. Although they may not collectively rival Orchard Road as the most favoured shopping destination, they are good alternatives for those who do not wish to travel far from their homes.

Other Interesting Amenities In The North

Senoko Fishery Port

Other than shopping centres, one of the most fascinating features of the North is its concentration of factory outlets that sell a variety of food items at wholesale prices. These outlets are especially popular during major festivals such as Chinese New Year.

Some of them located at Woodlands Terrace and they sell products such as seafood, poultry, BBQ roast meats, cured meat, pastry, cakes and many more. They are just 8 minutes' drive from The Commodore condo.

The other interesting places include Senoko Food Hub and Senoko Fishery Port. At Senoko Food Hub, visitors can find an interesting variety of food outlets while the Senoko fishery Port sells a dizzying array of fishes and seafood at wholesale prices.

These amenities are not only frequented by residents living in the nearby housing estates, they are also popular with people staying in other parts of Singapore.

Bukit Canberra – 10 Minutes’ Walk From The Commodore Condo

Bukit Canberra

Bukit Canberra is an integrated sports and community hub about the size of 29 football fields, or 12 ha. Just 10 minutes’ walk from The Commodore condo, it was formerly a British naval base. Its Old Admiralty House used to be the residence of key British military commanders but has since been gazetted in 2002 as a national monument.

Bukit Canberra offers residents convenient access to a wide range of amenities set within a verdant park-like setting which will include the following:

• The largest ActiveSG gym in Singapore at 1,500 sqm
• 2 swimming pools – a six-lane sheltered swimming pool and an eight-lane lap pool
• A 500-seater indoor sports hall
• Three kilometres of outdoor running trails with varying levels of difficulty set on natural terrain
• A “food forest” and “fruit orchard”, featuring edible crops such as the cocoa tree and roselle plant
• A community garden
• A hawker centre
• A polyclinic
• A senior care centre
• Conserved Old Admiralty House for educational purposes

There will also be heritage story boards detailing its past history as a former British naval base.

Bukit Canberra’s landscaping has been carefully curated to make use of its existing terrain that retains the hilly characteristics and lush vegetation in the area. The greenery will be integrated with various facilities to retain the rich biodiversity to allow users to enjoy the hub’s features in a natural setting while bringing them closer to flora and fauna.

Nature And Recreational Parks Abound

Many nature and recreational parks can be found around The Commodore condo, which provide a green and tranquil living environment for residents in the surrounding housing estates. These include the following:

Sembawang Hot Spring Park – Just 13 minutes’ walk from The Commodore condo, the geothermally heated water that comes out from underground is about 70 degrees Celsius and it is believed to have curative and medicinal qualities. One of the most popular activities is to sit around the Cascading Foot Bath Pool and soak their feet in the hot spring water. Another is cooking eggs with it.

Sembawang Beach Park – Located at the end of Sembawang Road, the seaside park is one of the last few natural beaches in Singapore. It is a very popular destination for anglers, bird-watchers, water sports enthusiasts and campers. It boasts a large children's playground modelled after a battleship that features adventure play equipment. These include a rock climber, tunnels, suspension bridge and a caged tower that leads to a spiral tube slide. Other facilities include a fitness area, petanque court and an extended beachfront promenade. Together, they provide an interesting day out for residents in the housing estates nearby.

Canberra Park – About 5 minutes’ drive from The Commodore condo. It has a large playground with a number of swings called Swings of Differences. They cater to different age groups and abilities, including those for toddlers. There are also swing for children with disabilities which have seats with full back support and a lap bar for safety. Other than the playground, there is also an amphitheatre, BBQ pits, bicycle and fitness stations, as well as cycling and jogging tracks.

Montreal Green Park – Also 5 minutes’ drive from The Commodore condo, it features a Heritage Corner to educate visitors about the history of Sembawang. There is also an Interactive Playgrounds that stimulate children’s senses, a Sculptured Garden and Butterfly Garden, as well as Fitness Corners with various equipment for residents to work out.

Mandai - A New Integrated Bird And Wildlife Park

Mandai Nature And Wildlife Park

The current Mandai Zoo will be transformed into a new 126 ha eco-tourism park that is expected to be completed by 2023.

Integrating five wildlife parks - Singapore Zoo, Night Safari, River Safari, Rainforest Park and Bird Park (which will be relocated from Jurong), they will offer visitors specially curated activities such as guided nature walks and interactions with animals. They can also learn about the zoos’ behing-the-scene operations.

In addition, there will be nature-themed indoor attractions, green public spaces and a boardwalk along the edge of the Upper Seletar Reservoir as part of an ambitious plan to create a multi-park experience for visitors.

A new 338-room eco-friendly resort will be built, which will be operated by luxury hotel chain Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts.

With such an exciting development, it can only futher enhance the appeal of the North Region as a place to live, work and play.

Fascinating Recreational Activities in the North Region

There is a myriad of fascinating recreational activities in the North Region. As they are rarely found in other parts of Singapore, they offer a unique living and fun experience for those living in Singapore’s North Region. Some of these activities include the following:

Kayaking at Khatib Bongsu - The mangroves and flatlands of Khatib Bongsu are home to one of Singapore's last un-dammed rivers. Rich in flora and fauna, it attracts birdwatchers, cyclists, joggers, environment lovers and fishing enthusiasts. It is also a popular place for kayaking due to its tranquil waters while its wild vegetation attracts many species of birds such as the Great-billed Heron.

Water Venture (Sembawang) - Water Venture (Sembawang) conducts many outdoor activities such as kayaking, sea-rafting, nature exploration, camping and outdoor cooking. They also offer team-building programmes with obstacle courses akin to OBS with dazzling views of the Straits of Johor.

Paintball Battle – Engage in fun and tactical battle with friends with paintball under the tutelage of experienced facilitators. Participants will learn everything from handling paintball markers to the correct way of shooting. At the same time, it teaches them the crucial skills of teamwork and communication.

Wake Pirates Wakeboarding – Under the guidance of a team of experienced instructors, participants will be guided from the very basic to executing their first spin and invert in the water. A fleet of well-maintained and competitive towboats from the best wakeboarding boat-makers in the world will churn out killer waves to provide an exhilarating experience.

Jurong Frog Farm – It offers visitors frog-related educational programmes, such as learning to differentiate the sexes and the frogs camouflage themselves in their natural surroundings. Visitors can also experience hand-feeding the frogs and enjoy various frog delicacies such as Deep-Fried Cajun Frog Meat, Crispy Frog Skin Chicharon and the nutritious Snowdrop Hashima.

Udder’s Ice-Cream Making Workshop – A great activity for kids as they learn to churn out unique ice-cream flavours such as bandung, popcorn and chili-chocolate. They will also learn about the different types of ice cream and their making process. At the end of the session, they will be treated to a 50-minute all-you-can-eat ice-cream buffet!

Goats at Hay Dairies – Besides learning about goats, visitors can also experience feeding and milking them. The fresh milk can be bought and they are available in original and chocolate flavours. The creamy and nutritious milk is ideal for those who are lactose intolerant.

Schools Near The Commodore Condo

Families with young children living in The Commodore condo will have access to a number of primary schools, many of which are within a 2 km radius. This will accord them priority admission when registering their children for Primary 1 under the Ministry of Education's distance-based allocation system. These schools are:

Within 1 km

• Ahmad Ibrahim Primary School
• Sembawang Primary School
• Yishun Primary School

With 1-2 km

• Canberra Primary School
• Chongfu School
• Endeavour Primary School
• Jieming Primary School
• Wellington Primary School
• Xishan Primary School

For older children, there are also quite a number of secondary schools near The Commodore condo and these include:

• Canberra Secondary School
• Sembawang Secondary School
• Ahmad Ibrahim Secondary School
• Northland Secondary School
• Yishun Town Secondary School
• Yishun Secondary School

The nearest junior college is Yishun Innova Junior College and the nearest polytechnic is Republic Polytechnic. They can be reached within a 5 to 12 minutes’ drive.

Exciting Transformation of the North Region

The transformation of the North Region will turn it into the largest regional centre in Singapore, making it an exciting place to live, work and play. Hence, The Commodore condo will offer promising investment potential by providing the “first-mover” advantage as most of the planned developments are yet to be completed.

These include the following:

Woodlands Transformation

Woodlands Health Campus – It will provide healthcare for residents in the north-western region in Singapore. A purpose-built integrated Campus that will be opened progressively from 2023, it will include a fully integrated acute and community hospital, specialist outpatient clinics, intermediate and long-term care facilities and green healing spaces.

Woodlands Regional Centre - Comprising of Woodlands Central and Woodlands North Coast, it is set to be a vibrant new hub for businesses that will integrate new commercial and residential developments. They will act as a vital link with Malaysia as well. A new Town Plaza next to the Woodlands MRT station will also be developed, offering a convenient and vibrant public space for residents to participate in community events.

WoodsVista - A new 1.9km community link that will string together a variety of public spaces, creating pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly backbones to the precincts, and enticing people to the waterfront.

Marsiling Park – Formerly known as Woodlands Town Garden, it reopened in 2018 after 22 months of upgrading work. One of its most distinctive features is the ribbon playscape that weaves through the park and doubles up as resting spaces. There is also a playground in the form of a butterfly (the only one of its kind in Singapore), musical play equipment and 3-Generation fitness equipment, as well as a 24-hour F&B outlet.

Community Nexus – It is a new community hub beside the Admiralty MRT station. It will have facilities such as medical, eldercare and childcare centres, a hawker centre, dining and retail outlets, as well as housing for the elderly.

Social Corridor – A 4.2km park connector along the North-South MRT line viaduct, it will feature lush greenery, community gardens, 3-Generation facilities, pavilions and rest points for residents to relax and watch the world go by.

The North Coast Innovation Corridor (NCIC)

URA Master Plan for Woodlands

Under the URA Master Plan for Woodlands, it seeks to transform the North Region into Singapore’s biggest employment hub. Inevitably, this will fuel demand for housing.

One of its major developments is the North Coast Innovation Corridor (NCIC). Stretching from the Woodlands Regional Centre and Sembawang Shipyard to the future Seletar Regional Centre and Punggol Digital District, it will form a belt of key economic hubs across Singapore's north and north-eastern areas. By bringing more jobs closer to homes supported by new amenities, this will elevate the region’s profile and importance.

These business hubs are envisaged to attract many different industries, especially those that have business connections with Malaysia. According to the government, the development of Woodlands Regional Centre alone is expected to create an estimated 100,000 jobs.

The NCIC will integrate the future Agri-Food Innovation Park and Woodlands Regional Centre with synergistic elements of the ecosystem in the North that includes farms, Republic Polytechnic and the Senoko Food Zone. This will bring about a diverse palette of office, retail, business parks and industrial spaces across the corridor.

Once developed, the ambitious plans will create a vibrant live, work and play environment. In turn, they will fuel demand for housing and underpin property values.

New Growth Industries At Sungei Kadut

Sungei Kadut Eco District

Sungei Kadut is one of Singapore's oldest industrial estates known for its lumber, furniture, construction and waste management industries. But over the next 20 to 30 years, its will be gradually developed into a new Sungei Kadut Eco-District where new growth industries such as the Agri-Food Innovation Park will create higher-value, knowledge-based jobs for Singaporeans.

The first phase of Sungei Kadut's redevelopment is targeted to be completed by 2025.It will include multi-user projects, as well as infrastructural work covering more than 40 acres. All these are part of the exciting transformation taking place in the North Region, which will be accompanied by new housing developments, lifestyle amenities, nature trails and activity corridors.

As Sungei Kadut is just 6 stops from the Canberra MRT station, residents of The Commodore condo will get to enjoy more amenities and a higher standard of living in time to come.

Redevelopment of Sembawang Shipyard

Sembawang Shipyard

After the relocation of Sembawang Shipyard’s operations to Tuas by 2024, the vacated site is likely to be redeveloped into a mixed-use waterfront lifestyle precinct that will retain its rich maritime history.

Given the shipyard's unique coastal profile, it will offer the government opportunities to develop new waterfront public spaces while selected buildings with historical value will be re-purposed for suitable uses.

In fact, imder the revised URA Master Plan, a former land plot at the Sembawang Shipyard has been re-zoned from a "Reserve" to "Residential". This clearly indicates the government's plan to create another waterfront precinct in the north, not unlike the Harbourfront along the Greater Southern Waterfront.

With The Commodore condo only 6 minutes’ drive away, the redevelopment of the Sembawang Shipyard is expected to further raise the investment appeal of the North Region.

Singapore-Johor Rapid Transit System (RTS)

Rapid Transit System (RTS)

The Johor Bahru–Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) is a new 4km-long cross-border rail project that will connect Malaysia and Singapore. Expected to be completed by end-2026, it will further underpin the North Region as an important international business hub.

The rapid transit system will help to improve connectivity, people-to-people relations, and also boost economic growth in both nations. It will have the capacity to serve about 10,000 passengers an hour in each direction and as a result, will reduce the congestion at the Johor Causeway.

The Singapore terminus will be located at Woodlands North and adjacent to the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) station. For Malaysia, its terminus will be at Bukit Chagar near JB Sentral, a popular shopping destination for Singaporeans. Both stations will have co-located customs as well as immigration and quarantine facilities to enable passengers to transit more efficiently and quickly.

According to Singapore’s former Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung, there would eventually be a transport hub connected to the RTS Link and TEL stations. He added:

“Taken together, these transport connections will support and enhance the larger development plans to transform Woodlands into a key growth hub and thriving employment gateway for the North Region, just like Jurong and Tampines".

His comments clearly indicate the Singapore government's ambitious plans to turn the North Region into a major economic zone.

Review Conclusion – An Investment Perspective of The Commodore

With the exciting transformation taking place in the North Region which is set to become Singapore’s largest regional centre, a new property like The Commodore condo will provide promising investment potential.

The shift towards a 'live-work-play' concept, starting with the development of regional centres like Tampines and Jurong in the 1990s has allowed many people to enjoy the convenience of working near where they live. Supporting amenities such as shopping malls, hospitals and recreational parks, as well as infrastructure developments like the expansion of the MRT network have helped to raise the quality of living, which in turn boosted the value of properties.

Similarly, the North Regions is expected to enjoy the same growth potential when major developments under the URA Master Plan take shape. However, since most of them are still at their nascent stage, a new development like The Commodore condo will provide property investors the first-mover advantage.

In addition, with the development of the North Coast Innovation Corridor (NCIC) and Sungei Kadut Eco-District, the high-value jobs being created will attract more people into the region. As a result, they will fuel demand for properties.

Meanwhile, Sembawang has witnessed a steady growth of private residential properties, HDB flats, executive condominiums (ECs) and landed houses over the years. Some buyers may be attracted to the greenery, tranquility and the unique character of the North Region, while others were lured by the more affordable property prices.

As can be seen from the data below for 99-year leasehold properties (new, sub-sale & resale) over the last 10 years in some of the major suburban regions, District 27 has witnessed the lowest average price appreciation.

• District 17 (Flora, Loyang & Changi) – 48%
• District 18 (Simei, Tampines & Pasir Ris - 42%
• District 19 (Hougang, Punggol & Sengkang) - 52%
• District 27 (Sembawang & Yishun) – 41%

This is unsurprising given that the other regions have benefitted earlier from the Singapore government’s push to decentralise many of its major economic activities away from the central region. Some of these include the development of the Changi Business Park, wafer fabrication Park in Tampines and the Punggol Digital District.

However, with the transformation of the North Region gathering pace, property prices have slowly caught up, which can be seen from recent property launches such as The Watergardens At Canberra and several executive condos like The Provence Residence and Parc Canberra which have seen healthy take-up rates.

As of 28 September 2021, the percentage of units sold at these new development are: The Watergardens (64%), Provence Residence (77.7%) and Parc Canberra (99.8%).

Now, let’s have a look at how the following 99-year leasehold private condos near The Commodore condo have performed since their launch:

• The Nautical - Launched in 2012 at an average price of $844 psf, its last transacted price was around $1,017 psf (20.5% gain).
• Eight Courtyards - Launched in 2011 at an average price of $795 psf, its last transacted price was around $1,010 psf (27.0% gain).
• Canberra Residences - Launched in 2013 at an average price of $762 psf, its last transacted price was around $880 psf (15.5% gain).

As can be seen, they have not done too badly. And with the major transformation taking place, The Commodore condo will offer promising investment potential going forward. Moreover, given the recent sharp rise in land prices for the Lentor Central and Ang Mo Kio sites, these new developments that will likely be launched from $2,000 psf upwards

Hence, with The Commodore sold between a range of S$1,289 - 1,670 psf, it warrants serious consideration for those looking for property investment. Moreover, there aren't any empty sites that will be so close to an MRT station, which adds to its investment potential.

For an update on new launches or to explore your property investment options, please WhatsApp or Email us.

Meanwhile, two upcoming condo developments you may wish to consider are Amo Residence near the Mayflower MRT station and Lentor Modern, a mixed-use development directly linked to the Lentor MRT station.

For those who prefer living in the east, please check out these two mixed-use developments - Sky Eden located 5 minutes from the Bedok MRT station, and Sceneca Residence directly linked to the Tanah Merah MRT station.

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