The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) will be redeveloping and extending Woodlands Checkpoint (WCP) to alleviate traffic congestion, improve travel time, and enhance security, for land border crossings between Singapore and Malaysia.

Redevelopment and Extension of Woodlands Checkpoint

2.          In 2017, ICA and SLA had jointly announced that an extension of WCP would be built at the Old Woodlands Town Centre (OWTC). A study is currently ongoing to determine the optimal design of this WCP extension to clear heavy goods vehicles and motorcycles. To support this, the Bukit Timah Expressway will be extended and enhanced to channel traffic directly to and from the OWTC extension. The immediate and surrounding local road networks will also be upgraded.

3.          ICA has projected that the traffic volume at WCP will have increased by close to 40% by 2050. This means a daily average of about 400,000 travellers as compared to pre-pandemic levels of about 300,000 travellers in 2019. While COVID-19 had impacted travel, the full reopening of our land borders from 1 April 2022 has seen arrival volumes already returning to more than 90% of the pre-COVID volume during weekends. We expect daily volumes to soon reach pre-COVID levels, and continue to increase thereafter. If the overall clearance capacity is not increased, the travel time for vehicular traffic could increase by more than 60-70% during peak periods by 2050.

4.          Therefore, ICA will extend WCP beyond OWTC to better alleviate traffic congestion and future-proof WCP for the projected increase in traffic volume. The redeveloped and extended WCP aims to:

• Enhance clearance for all types of vehicular traffic, beyond the earlier planned improvements to clearance capacity for cargo vehicles and motorcycles which the extension to OWTC seeks to bring about;
• Incorporate greater automation and flexi-lanes that can be toggled to either clear cars or motorcycles, which would significantly reduce travel time, by as much as four times;
• Provide adequate holding areas for traffic to be contained within the checkpoint, to reduce spillage onto and congestion on the surrounding roads; and
• Conduct security checks in a forward and upfront area, away from the main parts of the checkpoint, to mitigate security risks, and minimise potential damage, to nearby developments should there be vehicular IED incidents.

Acquisition and Return of HDB Properties at Marsiling Crescent/Lane

5.          The redevelopment and extension of WCP will involve the acquisition and return of nine HDB blocks (Blocks 210 to 218 Marsiling Crescent/Lane) comprising 732 sold flats, 53 rental flats, 1 rental kiosk, 6 rental shops and 1 rental eating house. The acquisition and subsequent redevelopment and extension of WCP will be carried out progressively and agencies will work to minimise disruption to residents.

6.          Owners of the sold flats at Blocks 212 to 218 Marsiling Crescent/Lane will be offered the same rehousing benefits as those offered under the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS). These include compensation based on the market value of their flat as at the date of the acquisition, and the option to purchase a new flat with a fresh 99-year lease at subsidised prices. To help defray the expenses incurred in the move, HDB will also provide flat owners with a removal allowance, as well as the stamp and legal fees for the purchase of a comparable replacement flat.

7.          HDB will build about 1,100 new replacement flats at Woodlands Street 13, so that residents can continue living in a familiar environment while preserving neighbourly ties. Construction of the replacement flats will commence in 3rd quarter 2023 and is estimated to be completed by 4th quarter 2027.

8.          Flat owners have the option of purchasing these new flats with better design and fittings, located within a precinct with modern and comprehensive facilities. Eligible flat owners may receive a SERS grant of up to $30,000 and take out a housing loan from HDB for the purchase of their new flat. They can also select replacement flats together with their neighbours or relatives, to live near one another. This helps to preserve existing community ties by enabling residents to move en bloc to new flats. The rehousing benefits and implementation details are in Annexes A, B and C.

9.          The new flats are located near to the Marsiling MRT station, which is about a 10-minute walk away. There are existing shops and eating houses nearby, and Marsiling Mall and Causeway Point are easily accessible by bus. In addition, residents can enjoy recreational activities at the adjacent Marsiling Park.

Residents can look forward to the new replacement flats located at Woodlands Street 13

10.         Eligible rental flat tenants will also be given rehousing benefits, and eligible tenants of the rental shops/ kiosk/ eating house will be given clearance benefits in line with past rehousing/clearance exercises. The rehousing benefits for tenants of the public rental flats and clearance benefits for the tenants of the rental shops/ kiosk/ eating house are in Annexes D and E respectively.

11.         The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) has gazetted the acquisition of the subject land. HDB, SLA and ICA will work closely with the owners and tenants and assist them through the process. These include door-to-door house visits to each household to address concerns that they may have, and a series of sharing sessions to provide flat owners with more details, as follows:

IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY
HOUSING & DEVELOPMENT BOARD
SINGAPORE LAND AUTHORITY
26 MAY 2022

Annex A

Implementation Plan for Blocks 212 to 218 Marsiling Crescent/Lane

Annex B

Rehousing Benefits for Eligible Flat Owners

Flat owners will be given the same rehousing benefits as those offered under the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS).

• Compensation for the existing flat based on market value at the time of the acquisition announcement, and payment of reasonable expenses as follows to help in the relocation:
  a. Removal allowance of $10,000; and
  b. Stamp and legal fees for buying a comparable new flat.
• Assured allocation of a new flat with a fresh 99-year lease, at the offered precinct, if eligible.
• Option for flat owners who are 55 years old and above to buy 2-room Flexi flats on 99-year or short leases at the offered precinct, if eligible.
• Purchase of a new flat at subsidised price fixed at the date of the acquisition announcement.
• SERS grant of $30,000 for families and joint singles and $15,000 for singles, if eligible, for the purchase of a new flat.
• Exemption from the payment of resale levy if the existing flat is a subsidised flat^[1], and concessions for the payment of resale levy or premium for the previous sale of a subsidised flat elsewhere.
• Exemption from the payment of $10,000 premium on top of the purchase price of a new flat for couples who are first-timers and comprise one Singapore Citizen and one Singapore Permanent Resident^[2].
• Exemption from payment of $15,000 premium on top of the purchase price of a new flat for first-timer singles.
• HDB housing loan for purchase of a new flat by eligible flat owners, subject to credit assessment and prevailing housing loan policies.
• A comprehensive financial package to ease the cash flow for purchase of a new flat.
• Option to apply for a flat elsewhere with rehousing benefits under Build-To-Order (BTO) or Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) exercise (there is a 10% priority allocation^[3]), or open booking of flats.
• Eligible flat owners may receive an ex-gratia payment of $30,000 plus SERS grant, if eligible, on top of their compensation, instead of the rehousing benefits.

Eligible flat owners who do not wish to take up a new flat can choose to sell their existing flats with the rehousing benefits on the open market. With the sales proceeds, which will include a premium for the rehousing benefits, they can buy a resale flat in their preferred location.

Annex C

Location Plan and Details of Offered Precinct at Woodlands Street 13

The offered precinct at Woodlands Street 13 will comprise five residential blocks of 23/34 storeys high, offering about 1,103 units of 2-room Flexi, 3-room, 4-room, and 5-room flats. A wide variety of recreational and communal facilities, such as a children’s playground, adult and elderly fitness stations and precinct pavilions will be provided in the precinct. There will also be a childcare centre for the convenience of families with young children.

Not drawn to scale.