About 29,000 HDB households to benefit from upgrading works in their neighbourhoods

SINGAPORE – Nearly 29,000 households living in HDB flats across Singapore will get upgrades to their neighbourhoods under two schemes.

These upgrades could include fitness trails linking senior-centric amenities, seating areas and features that guide those with dementia, as Singapore’s infrastructure evolves to help its greying population live comfortably in their communities.

Under the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP), more than $130 million will be pumped into 17 projects in areas including Canberra, Hougang and Toa Payoh, National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat announced on April 18.

He was speaking in Canberra, at the Sembawang neighbourhood’s annual charity walk, which supports groups that care for seniors and those in need.

Mr Chee said that apart from supporting community partners, the Government is enhancing different neighbourhoods to enable seniors to live independently and actively. He noted that HDB began including more senior-friendly enhancements under the NRP in 2025.

He added: “These provide communal spaces for seniors to interact and bond with their neighbours.

“Elements within these spaces have also been designed and planned to help our seniors move around safely and navigate confidently around their neighbourhoods.”

These works, fully funded by the Government and implemented by the town councils, will benefit close to 20,000 households.

The 14 town councils – managing this 17th batch of projects under the NRP – will engage with residents through exhibitions and surveys, for feedback on improvements they would like to see.

National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat with residents in Canberra, at the Sembawang neighbourhood’s annual charity walk on April 18.

ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR

Implementation and completion timelines vary depending on the nature and complexity of the project, said HDB.

Since 2007, when the NRP was introduced, more than $1.6 billion has been set aside to fund 246 projects, excluding the latest batch.

They cover about 315,500 households, HDB said in a statement. As at end March, nearly 60 per cent of these projects have been completed, benefiting around 199,000 households.

Meanwhile, works to upgrade another 10 precincts in Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Merah and Queenstown with senior-friendly enhancements under the Silver Upgrading Programme (SUP) will commence in the second half of 2026.

The government-funded programme, launched in 2024, rolls out improvements to older precincts that already underwent upgrading in the past to benefit seniors.

Enhancements under the programme’s third batch of projects will benefit about 9,000 households, and will be completed progressively from the second half of 2028, said Mr Chee.

HDB also plans to expand the SUP to precincts in towns including Bedok, Clementi and Kallang-Whampoa in the next batch, he added.

In selecting precincts, Mr Chee said priority is given to those with a higher proportion of soon-to-be seniors aged 55 and above, as well as seniors aged 65 and above.

As one of the fastest ageing countries in the world, Singapore became a super-aged society in 2026. This is defined internationally as having at least 21 per cent of the population aged 65 or older.

About one in four Singaporeans will be in this age group come 2030.

Various schemes have been rolled out to address the growing needs of the elderly, including the islandwide Age Well Neighbourhoods initiative.

Mr Chee encouraged seniors to share their feedback on their preferred enhancements by participating in community improvement walks held at their estates. These might include more spaces where they can keep active, opportunities to interact with neighbours ,or safer pathways with barrier-free access.

The anchor minister for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC cited a walk he organised in March for about 70 of his residents in Toa Payoh, one of Singapore’s oldest towns, to gather feedback on proposed upgrading plans.

National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat (second from right) with Sembawang GRC MP Gabriel Lam (in red), who oversees the Canberra ward, on Canberra Day on April 18.

ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR

Mr Chee said that for precincts in Ang Mo Kio, Toa Payoh, Jalan Besar and Kebun Baru, common suggestions included elderly fitness stations, community gardens and sheltered ramps.

Giving an update on the previous batches of SUP projects, HDB said four precincts in Ang Mo Kio from the first batch are expected to finish works in the second half of 2026. Projects in the second batch will be progressively completed from the second half of 2027.

The areas slated to receive the latest batch of NRP and SUP programmes can be viewed on the HDB website.

A Canberra resident of three decades, food safety and admin worker Zamilah Nadesan Rasa, 77, participates in weekly Zumba exercises near her block.

She hopes to see more exercise spaces in her estate, which is part of the 17th batch of NRP projects.

She said: “The most important thing for seniors is to have exercise facilities. There is one covered space, but it is occasionally taken up by other events.”

The participants of the charity walk, held in conjunction with Canberra Day, were joined by 100 seniors with mobility challenges, who were ferried around by the BMW Car Club.

Sembawang GRC MP Gabriel Lam was also present, unveiling the district’s mascot, the Canberra Bear.

He was joined by fellow Sembawang MPs Ong Ye Kung and Ng Shi Xuan later that day, when they presented funds raised by a six-month campaign to Sunshine Welfare Action Mission Home and Singapore Christian Home.

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