With some Singapore flats above 60 storeys on the horizon, will owners face tighter curbs?

Singapore is preparing to build its tallest public housing project yet with some blocks rising above 60 storeys in the historic Chinatown area, in a sign of the city state pushing for higher density in prime areas to meet demand.Such super-tall developments are unlikely to become the norm, according to analysts, who cite higher construction costs, site constraints and tighter regulations aimed at preventing centrally located flats from becoming speculative investments.Singapore would build the new project at the foot of Pearl’s Hill City Park, near Chinatown, Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat told parliament last Thursday.The development, which will begin “in the next few years”, will have about 1,700 units of two-, three- and four-room flats, along with more than 170 rental flats. Singapore’s flats built under the build-to-order (BTO) scheme in recent years can reach up to 40 storeys.Chee said the project formed part of efforts to build more public housing units “by intensifying land usage and building taller where possible”, adding that the government would look for more opportunities to build taller flats across Singapore.A new public housing development, which will be located at the foothills of Pearl’s Hill City Park, will be the first such project at Pearl’s Hill in over 40 years. Photo: Kolette LimMore super-high projects?