SINGAPORE: Seventeen Housing & Development Board (HDB) neighbourhoods will undergo upgrading works, benefiting nearly 20,000 households. The government has set aside over S$130 million for the latest round of improvements.
The upgrades fall under the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP), a long-running scheme focused on improving older estates. It targets block-level and precinct-level changes shaped by what residents say they need.
This latest batch shows a steady push to refresh ageing estates while keeping them liveable for current residents, Channel NewsAsia (CNA) reports.
Many estates from the late 1990s are now showing their age
The NRP started in 2007, mainly for blocks built up to 1995. In 2025, the scope widened to include blocks built up to 1999.
Many estates from the late 1990s are now showing their age, even if they are not considered “old” by traditional standards.
Across the years, the government has committed more than S$1.6 billion to 246 NRP projects. These cover about 315,500 households.
As of March 2026, 141 projects have been completed. Another 105 are still in progress.
17th batch of NRP blocks or projects selected
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Blks 370 to 373, 373A to 373B, 374 to 375 Hougang Street 31
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Blks 317, 350 to 352, 352A, 353 to 354, 354A Ang Mo Kio Street 31/32
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Blks 121 to 122, 141, 141A, 142, 142A, 143 to 144 Lorong 2 Toa Payoh
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Blks 442 to 445, 445A, 446 to 448, 469 to 474, 474A Choa Chu Kang Avenue 3/4
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Blks 10, 10A, 11 Chai Chee Road
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Blks 170, 170A, 171, 171A, 172 to 175, 175A, 176 to 177, 177A to 177B, 178 to 180, 180A Gangsa / Lompang Road
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Blks 623 to 628, 628A Bukit Batok Central
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Blks 232A, 234A, 236A, 238A, 255 to 256, 256A, 257, 257A, 258 Serangoon Avenue 2 / Central Drive
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Blks 501 to 502, 502A, 503, 503A, 504 to 505, 505A, 506 to 508, 527, 527A, 528 to 536, 536A Woodlands Drive 14
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Blks 296, 296A, 297 to 299 Yishun Street 20
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Blks 300, 302 to 306, 306A to 306B, 307 to 313, 313A, 314 to 316, 316A, 317 to 318 Canberra Road / Sembawang Drive / Vista
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Blks 681, 681A to 681D, 682, 682A to 682D, 683A to 683D, 684A to 684D, 685 Woodlands Drive 62 / 73
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Blks 205A to 205D, 206A to 206E, 223A to 223D, 224A to 224E, 231 to 233, 233A, 234 to 236, 236A, 237 to 241, 241A Compassvale Lane / Walk
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Blks 225A to 225C, 226A to 226D, 227A to 227D, 228A to 228D, 229 to 230 Compassvale Walk
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Blks 68 to 70, 70A, 14, 14A, 16A, 17, 17A, 17B Redhill Close / Telok Blangah Crescent, Blks 71 & 72 Redhill Close
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Blks 679, 679A to 679C, 680, 680A to 680C, 681, 681A to 681C, 682, 682A to 682C, 683, 683A to 683C, 684, 684A to 684C, 685, 685A to 685C, 686, 686A to 686C Jurong West Street 64 / Central 1
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Blks 115, 115A, 177 to 182, 182A, 183, 183A, 184, 184A Ho Ching Road / Yung Sheng Road / Corporation Drive
The works are fully funded by the government, with town councils handling design, contractors, and project oversight.
Easier to move around, especially for senior citizens
Upgrades under the NRP tend to focus on everyday usability rather than major overhauls.
This means better walking paths, improved signage, and features that make it easier to move around, especially for seniors.
Fitness trails linking key amenities are common—so are better wayfinding signs along routes people often use.
These are small changes on paper, but they shape how people experience their estate daily.
Silver Upgrading Programme: 9,000 households benefit
In addition to the NRP, 10 more precincts have been selected under the Silver Upgrading Programme (SUP). About 9,000 households will benefit.
The SUP, launched in 2024, focuses on helping seniors age in place. It looks at the practical issues that older residents face every day.
Work for this batch will begin in the second half of 2026 and roll out progressively starting in 2028.
10 new precincts selected for SUP
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Blks 330 to 337 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1
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Blks 621, 623, 625 & 627 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 9
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Blks 633 to 640 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 6
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Blks 72 to 77, 73A (MSCP) Telok Blangah Drive / Heights / Street 32
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Blks 62 to 69 Telok Blangah Drive / Heights
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Blks 50 to 61, 51A (Pavilion), 52A (MSCP), 57A (MSCP) Telok Blangah Drive / Heights
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Blks 44 to 49, 48A (MSCP) Telok Blangah Drive
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Blks 96 to 102 Commonwealth Crescent
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Blks 103, 104, 106 to 113, 107A (Pavilion) Commonwealth Crescent
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Blks 23A & 23B Queen’s Close
Earlier batches are already underway, with some nearing completion.
Feedback and suggestions from residents
Feedback from a recent community walk in Toa Payoh gives a clearer picture of what people want.
Residents suggested wider, more sheltered walkways for better rain protection. They also asked for larger, brighter block numbers to make navigation easier.
Other useful ideas were:
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Yellow borders along footpaths to prevent trips and falls
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More sheltered seating near fitness areas
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Spaces for social interaction after exercise
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Wheelchair-friendly community gardens
These are practical fixes that show how people use their neighbourhoods.
Estates are ageing; so are their residents
Singapore’s housing estates are ageing alongside their residents, so the focus has changed from building new flats to maintaining and adapting existing ones.
Programmes like the NRP and SUP demonstrate a move toward fine-tuning daily living conditions, rather than large-scale redevelopment.
It also signals an empathetic policy direction: helping seniors stay independent without needing to relocate.
The approach is also measured: Improve what exists. Fix what matters. Listen to residents. Keep estates functional and relevant.
HDB challenges
Upgrading work usually sounds routine, but it shapes how people live day to day. When walkways are safer, signage is clearer, and spaces are more usable, the estate works better for everyone.
The real challenge for HDB is consistency; to keep listening, keep adjusting, and avoid letting estates fall behind before action is taken.
This article (17 HDB neighbourhoods in Singapore to get S$130 million upgrade) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.
