Jurong West: Condemned Housing Estate?
- Thread starter sillyporean
- Start date
sillyporean
New Member
The property developers will build a condo any where in Singapore if they can hold of a piece of land...
tansy: if u ard there again, let me know the blk.
developer will be real stupid if JW is really a bad plc. cos no one will buy, developer lose money and wont be building the condo faster than expected. No developer will be so silly to buy a piece of Leasehold land to build a losing money condo.
developer will be real stupid if JW is really a bad plc. cos no one will buy, developer lose money and wont be building the condo faster than expected. No developer will be so silly to buy a piece of Leasehold land to build a losing money condo.
sillyporean
New Member
It's the condo bandwagon...
key_word07
New Member
Whatever it is...i think as long as we are happy with the place we stay can liao lor. Don't be borthered by what people say lar.Mouth is theirs. The brain is theirs mah. We cannot control what they think and what they say lor.Let them use the word condemn or name us stupid or laugh at us with our choice.Afterall they r just comparing and comparing and it is mei wan mei liao one lor.Although initially we will take it hard lar and feel offended, but now,i will only laugh at those who tease us...because they are ignorance and trying make us feel bad and lousy abt our choice.But in fact..do we really make a wrong choice and unhappy?Tats really depend on individuals liao mah.For me..I AM SO SURE I DID NOT BECAUSE I LOVE MY PLACE ALOT.we are happy in the place we stay can liao lor.If those really feel that they have make a wrong choice...hate this place so much...then i think it's time for them to move away lor...that should be the way ba i suspose...life is short liao lei..dun make yourself so pathetic nd unhappy lor. We are fortunate then many people in this world liao lei..
Lakehomez has got quite a no. of unsold units, despite TOP for quite sometime. Lakeshore sees a better demand cos of it's close proximity to the Lakeside MRT station. As for the upcoming condo next to JP (can't remember the name), it draws great attention n demand as tis is the 1st kind of condo in the west. In general, the pty market is picking up, so it's not surprising tat ppl flock to tis new launches.
poshbb, ermm...u really dunno where is the new MRT station?!?!? The coffee shop is rite below the multistorey carpark.
poshbb, ermm...u really dunno where is the new MRT station?!?!? The coffee shop is rite below the multistorey carpark.
sillyporean
New Member
tansy,
You seem to be quite well informed about the occupancy rate of condos in Jurong.
Well, if the developer can sell off every single unit in Centris. HDB should get some pointers from them.
Start fencing up unsold flats in JW and built a swimming pool within the compound, but still charge HDB prices, you think that will work?
You seem to be quite well informed about the occupancy rate of condos in Jurong.
Well, if the developer can sell off every single unit in Centris. HDB should get some pointers from them.
Start fencing up unsold flats in JW and built a swimming pool within the compound, but still charge HDB prices, you think that will work?
Oh yah, it's Centris! Haven been ard for quite sometime and somehow like lost touched. Yes, the reason why Centris is selling like hotcakes cos developer targets at the amenities and great convenience. These are all the selling points and marketing rara to arouse interests and sales. Some properties sell by themselves cos they've inborn advantages like good location n prime area or near to good schools, some they hav to rely on the marketing champaigns to beef up their comparative advantages. E.g., showflat done tastefully and it's irresistible not to buy (if the price is rite)
Centris has nothing to shout about with regards to good schools or prime location (far off fr city), but they've lotsa amenities and rite beside MRT to boast about.
Sillyporean, my info were 3mths back, but i should think that the sales at Lakehomez aren't picking up fast. Esp with the new launches at Centris, gonna b a big showdown for Lakehome and Lakeshore.
Centris has nothing to shout about with regards to good schools or prime location (far off fr city), but they've lotsa amenities and rite beside MRT to boast about.
Sillyporean, my info were 3mths back, but i should think that the sales at Lakehomez aren't picking up fast. Esp with the new launches at Centris, gonna b a big showdown for Lakehome and Lakeshore.
er.. the doors ah, if build all HDB flats with own swimming pool... cannot be at HDB price lah... because who's gonna fund the maintenance. Well the best that HDB can do is to build the HDB flats to the effect of condos, like bay windows, condo style floorplan in flat, more greenery within the compound, use shrubs to saparate compound kindda thing, that'll be cheaper.
actually the only thing i want from HDB is for them to build BIGGER rooms... i wonder if the architects/approval dept pple all stay in HDB or not... Super small for a young couple with baby. my wife get 10-cents/20-cents around her shin when she walks around our bed after we had a baby and need to slot in a baby cot.
i really Need a new house soon, can't bear to see my wife with so many injuries...
i really Need a new house soon, can't bear to see my wife with so many injuries...
seen the centris showflat, interior not that fantastic, but the attraction is its right above the new shopping mall.. super convenient and the price is attractive. Most flats sold are those facing the pool. Those facing the MRT not much takers. Think not alot ppl want to face the MRT lah, coz the sound travel and it'd be noisy lo, how i know, because my cousin flat is beside the paya lebar MRT, so MRT noise quite disturbing.
sillyporean
New Member
This article has nothing to with Jurong West, but it's an interesting read.
Where's the living room?
Cold facts don't measure up to HDB dwellers' experience We live by 21st, not 20th-century standards Try fitting 4 + 4 into 5
Letter from Terence Leong
Letter from Eddy Tan
Letter from Gwendolyn Lee
I REFER to the Housing and Development Board's (HDB) letter, "HDB flats are big enough to meet modern families' needs" (Nov 22).
.
While I appreciate the promptness of the reply and the effort to provide facts and data to substantiate their point, I believe the HDB misses the point of Ms Sangeetha Bysheim' s letter ("Have more kids? It's a squash", Nov 15).
.
The latter was stating her experience of living in HDB flats, which many of us can attest to. Citing facts to show that the decrease in size of flats is a result of family size doesn't change her experience, or anyone else's for that matter.
.
Firstly, it begs an earlier question: Did families of the 1970s and 1980s find their flats to be of a comfortable size? Unless we can verify that bigger families then were happy with the size of their flats, can we conclude that, by logical extension, smaller families would be happier with smaller-sized flats?
.
Secondly, occasional letters such as these reveal the needs of 21st-century families. People today are more likely to want their private space. To therefore do a simple calculation of square metres per person is insufficient as the sole indicator.
.
Thirdly, to claim that those who want more space may buy bigger flats is also a flawed argument, because this doesn't take into consideration the fact that flat prices today have grown exponentially, so even if a family wants a bigger flat, the price might be out of their reach.
.
Fourthly, benchmarking our flat sizes against those of other developed countries makes sense only to a certain extent. It makes sense in terms of city planning and the efficient use of space.
.
But Ms Sangeetha's concern was how flat sizes indirectly affect one's decision to have more children. Hence, to use this justification misses the point, unless we are also saying that we are modelling ourselves on these countries in terms of birth rates (I hope not).
.
Are there existing market surveys on how satisfied flat dwellers and potential buyers are with their space, value for money and so on? Talk on the grapevine suggests that people are not satisfied, while the HDB tells us it is sufficient. Perhaps periodic studies or national surveys may resolve the divided opinions.
.
THE HDB's comparison of average household sizes today to those in 1970s and 1980s is not meaningful without taking into account the differences in standards of living and lifestyles.
.
Regardless of the number of people living in a flat, a certain amount of space dedicated to the kitchen, laundry, toilet and bathroom and so on would still be required. What is left after taking this shared space into consideration is what each occupant will actually get to enjoy.
.
Any reduction in this personal space due to smaller household size hardly makes up for the additional space taken up by facilities not widely available in households of the past — such as bookshelves, washing machines or study desks.
.
I WROTE a letter similar to Ms Sangeetha Bysheim's to the HDB last year, and got the same explanation that Singapore flat sizes are comparable to Hong Kong's, and that there are bigger units and schemes to allow couples to stay near their parents.
.
We live in a five-room flat. We have two kids and a maid. We would like very much to have another two children but I can't figure out how I am going to house four adults (husband and myself, maid and mother-in-law) and four kids in a five-room flat.
.
We are looking at those jumbo flats in the mature estate near my in-laws. But I was quite shocked to learn that the HDB concessionary loan rate would not be available to us as our household income is more than $8,000. It is quite easy for a dual-income household to hit the $8,000 cap, if the couple are graduates and have been working for three to five years.
.
While we are seemingly well-off on paper, in reality, two-thirds of our monthly disposable income goes to parents' allowance, maid costs and our childrens' expenses. The remainder is spent on the children's education and insurance — there is little left for our own daily expenses.
.
I strongly urge the HDB to review its policy. We need more living space for the children that we intend to have. We would like to live with our aged parents, whom we can depend on taking care of our children, while the latter can take care of them when they are old.
.
But the current housing policy makes us think twice about this.
HDB's reply
Most HDB households happy with flats
Senior Public Relations Officer
for Director (Corporate Development)
Housing & Development Board
Letter from Tay Boon Sun
.
I refer to the letters, "Cold facts don't measure up to HDB dwellers' experience" by Mr Terence Leong, "We live by 21st, not 20th-century standards" by Mr Eddy Tan and "Try fitting 4+4 into 5" by Ms Gwendolyn Lee (Nov 23).
.
We would like to thank the writers for their feedback. We understand the desire of some families to have bigger flats, for various reasons. We would like to inform these families that they do have many choices available to them.
.
Besides new HDB 5-room or Executive flats, there is a big pool of resale flats available in many different sizes, designs and locations.
.
Eligible households who are buying a flat for the first time can also apply for the CPF Housing Grant to buy a resale flat that matches their needs and budget.
.
In land-scarce Singapore, we need to balance our aspiration for bigger flats with the reality of our land constraints.
.
We need to optimise land use in the design of new flats, taking into consideration the trend of declining family size and the need to ensure affordability of our flats.
.
As part of our continual effort to better serve flat buyers and residents, we conduct periodic surveys to gather feedback.
.
The HDB Sample Household Survey 2003 indicated that, in general, the majority of HDB residents are satisfied with living in an HDB estate.
.
The survey showed that what residents liked most about HDB living were the low housing cost and the comprehensive estate facilities.
.
More than half of the households were contented with their present HDB flats, especially those living in the smaller flat types.
.
HDB will continue to review its policies regularly, including the design of new HDB flats, to meet the diverse needs of flat buyers and residents.
Where's the living room?
Cold facts don't measure up to HDB dwellers' experience We live by 21st, not 20th-century standards Try fitting 4 + 4 into 5
Letter from Terence Leong
Letter from Eddy Tan
Letter from Gwendolyn Lee
I REFER to the Housing and Development Board's (HDB) letter, "HDB flats are big enough to meet modern families' needs" (Nov 22).
.
While I appreciate the promptness of the reply and the effort to provide facts and data to substantiate their point, I believe the HDB misses the point of Ms Sangeetha Bysheim' s letter ("Have more kids? It's a squash", Nov 15).
.
The latter was stating her experience of living in HDB flats, which many of us can attest to. Citing facts to show that the decrease in size of flats is a result of family size doesn't change her experience, or anyone else's for that matter.
.
Firstly, it begs an earlier question: Did families of the 1970s and 1980s find their flats to be of a comfortable size? Unless we can verify that bigger families then were happy with the size of their flats, can we conclude that, by logical extension, smaller families would be happier with smaller-sized flats?
.
Secondly, occasional letters such as these reveal the needs of 21st-century families. People today are more likely to want their private space. To therefore do a simple calculation of square metres per person is insufficient as the sole indicator.
.
Thirdly, to claim that those who want more space may buy bigger flats is also a flawed argument, because this doesn't take into consideration the fact that flat prices today have grown exponentially, so even if a family wants a bigger flat, the price might be out of their reach.
.
Fourthly, benchmarking our flat sizes against those of other developed countries makes sense only to a certain extent. It makes sense in terms of city planning and the efficient use of space.
.
But Ms Sangeetha's concern was how flat sizes indirectly affect one's decision to have more children. Hence, to use this justification misses the point, unless we are also saying that we are modelling ourselves on these countries in terms of birth rates (I hope not).
.
Are there existing market surveys on how satisfied flat dwellers and potential buyers are with their space, value for money and so on? Talk on the grapevine suggests that people are not satisfied, while the HDB tells us it is sufficient. Perhaps periodic studies or national surveys may resolve the divided opinions.
.
THE HDB's comparison of average household sizes today to those in 1970s and 1980s is not meaningful without taking into account the differences in standards of living and lifestyles.
.
Regardless of the number of people living in a flat, a certain amount of space dedicated to the kitchen, laundry, toilet and bathroom and so on would still be required. What is left after taking this shared space into consideration is what each occupant will actually get to enjoy.
.
Any reduction in this personal space due to smaller household size hardly makes up for the additional space taken up by facilities not widely available in households of the past — such as bookshelves, washing machines or study desks.
.
I WROTE a letter similar to Ms Sangeetha Bysheim's to the HDB last year, and got the same explanation that Singapore flat sizes are comparable to Hong Kong's, and that there are bigger units and schemes to allow couples to stay near their parents.
.
We live in a five-room flat. We have two kids and a maid. We would like very much to have another two children but I can't figure out how I am going to house four adults (husband and myself, maid and mother-in-law) and four kids in a five-room flat.
.
We are looking at those jumbo flats in the mature estate near my in-laws. But I was quite shocked to learn that the HDB concessionary loan rate would not be available to us as our household income is more than $8,000. It is quite easy for a dual-income household to hit the $8,000 cap, if the couple are graduates and have been working for three to five years.
.
While we are seemingly well-off on paper, in reality, two-thirds of our monthly disposable income goes to parents' allowance, maid costs and our childrens' expenses. The remainder is spent on the children's education and insurance — there is little left for our own daily expenses.
.
I strongly urge the HDB to review its policy. We need more living space for the children that we intend to have. We would like to live with our aged parents, whom we can depend on taking care of our children, while the latter can take care of them when they are old.
.
But the current housing policy makes us think twice about this.
HDB's reply
Most HDB households happy with flats
Senior Public Relations Officer
for Director (Corporate Development)
Housing & Development Board
Letter from Tay Boon Sun
.
I refer to the letters, "Cold facts don't measure up to HDB dwellers' experience" by Mr Terence Leong, "We live by 21st, not 20th-century standards" by Mr Eddy Tan and "Try fitting 4+4 into 5" by Ms Gwendolyn Lee (Nov 23).
.
We would like to thank the writers for their feedback. We understand the desire of some families to have bigger flats, for various reasons. We would like to inform these families that they do have many choices available to them.
.
Besides new HDB 5-room or Executive flats, there is a big pool of resale flats available in many different sizes, designs and locations.
.
Eligible households who are buying a flat for the first time can also apply for the CPF Housing Grant to buy a resale flat that matches their needs and budget.
.
In land-scarce Singapore, we need to balance our aspiration for bigger flats with the reality of our land constraints.
.
We need to optimise land use in the design of new flats, taking into consideration the trend of declining family size and the need to ensure affordability of our flats.
.
As part of our continual effort to better serve flat buyers and residents, we conduct periodic surveys to gather feedback.
.
The HDB Sample Household Survey 2003 indicated that, in general, the majority of HDB residents are satisfied with living in an HDB estate.
.
The survey showed that what residents liked most about HDB living were the low housing cost and the comprehensive estate facilities.
.
More than half of the households were contented with their present HDB flats, especially those living in the smaller flat types.
.
HDB will continue to review its policies regularly, including the design of new HDB flats, to meet the diverse needs of flat buyers and residents.
good stuff!
tat's the thing i dislike abt the usual templated answers and the pple putting in those replies... it seldom answers questions and concerns, it just serves as a board to throw 'findings' from 5000yrs ago and topped up with 'comparisons' to close off the point. i guess that's OK if they dun also tell us how great they are, how they 'subsidise' our flats and are doing a great service to us etc... like we owe them for 'cheap' housing when it really isn't tat cheap. wat subsidised housing set out to do no longer stands in current times... anyway wat's so difficult to realise tat current times include a PC, biggest TV sets, bigger wardrobes and bigger everything... thus bigger rooms? or bigger flats?
but to be fair, we have Choices... so it boils down to whether we have the Financial Ability to make these choices. if no money - no choice.
tat's the thing i dislike abt the usual templated answers and the pple putting in those replies... it seldom answers questions and concerns, it just serves as a board to throw 'findings' from 5000yrs ago and topped up with 'comparisons' to close off the point. i guess that's OK if they dun also tell us how great they are, how they 'subsidise' our flats and are doing a great service to us etc... like we owe them for 'cheap' housing when it really isn't tat cheap. wat subsidised housing set out to do no longer stands in current times... anyway wat's so difficult to realise tat current times include a PC, biggest TV sets, bigger wardrobes and bigger everything... thus bigger rooms? or bigger flats?
but to be fair, we have Choices... so it boils down to whether we have the Financial Ability to make these choices. if no money - no choice.
Good article sillyporean, thanks for sharing! Yes the new HDB flats r really miserable. Currently, me and my hb are renting a 2 bedrooms apartment, with living/dining and 2 toilets, one service bal and one balcony. It's something like the current new 3 room HDB. While HDB's only 65 sqm, we're enjoying a 110sqm space! It's almost like a size of a 5rm. We love the spacious masterbed room, huge wardrobe space and bathroom. I wonder why HDB only builds 65 sqm 3rm. Why not hav a 90 sqm 3rm, but charge it at 4rm price, and allow those with household income > 3k to apply. And tat we're living in pigeon holes!!
sillyporean
New Member
powder,
You will love this one.
No subsidy in new HDB flats, just a discount
25 Nov 2006 Straits Times
FROM the letter by the Housing Board's Ms Kee Lay Cheng ('How prices of new HDB flats arrived at'; ST, Nov 17), it would appear that new flats that are sold are not subsidised.
Ms Kee said that 'new HDB flats are... priced below their equivalent market values so that buyers enjoy a substantial market subsidy' - that is, they are sold at prices lower than those sold in the open market.
In fact, there is no such thing as 'market subsidy'. If a flat's price in the open market is $400,000 and the seller reduces it to, say, $350,000, he is giving a discount and not a subsidy. Likewise, if the HDB sells its flats at $350,000 each, it is giving a discount to what similar flats can fetch in the open market.
A subsidy is the difference between the cost of a product or service and the reduced price at which the product or service is sold or provided, the difference being absorbed by the Government to make the product or service available to those who may not otherwise be able to afford it.
Thus, if it costs $200,000 to build each flat (land cost + construction cost + consultants' fees and other incidentals) and they are sold at $150,000, then the HDB is giving a subsidy of $50,000. On the other hand, if it sells the flats at, say, $350,000, it is in fact making a profit of $150,000, even though it may be giving a discount of $50,000 to the market price.
The flats in Queenstown that are close to the MRT station were constructed after demolishing low- and medium-rise blocks that were constructed during the early 1960s. The land on which they stood was acquired at very low cost. Even allowing for inflation, the final costs of the flats cannot be the prices now quoted by the HDB. At these prices, the flats are not subsidised.
To say they are sold at these prices because they are near the MRT station is to place a value on them and not their cost. It would have been far better had the HDB said that, because the flats are located close to amenities, they will not be subsidised, but will be sold at cost or even at a small profit to subsidise flats that are not so well located.
Cheong Chee Mun
You will love this one.
No subsidy in new HDB flats, just a discount
25 Nov 2006 Straits Times
FROM the letter by the Housing Board's Ms Kee Lay Cheng ('How prices of new HDB flats arrived at'; ST, Nov 17), it would appear that new flats that are sold are not subsidised.
Ms Kee said that 'new HDB flats are... priced below their equivalent market values so that buyers enjoy a substantial market subsidy' - that is, they are sold at prices lower than those sold in the open market.
In fact, there is no such thing as 'market subsidy'. If a flat's price in the open market is $400,000 and the seller reduces it to, say, $350,000, he is giving a discount and not a subsidy. Likewise, if the HDB sells its flats at $350,000 each, it is giving a discount to what similar flats can fetch in the open market.
A subsidy is the difference between the cost of a product or service and the reduced price at which the product or service is sold or provided, the difference being absorbed by the Government to make the product or service available to those who may not otherwise be able to afford it.
Thus, if it costs $200,000 to build each flat (land cost + construction cost + consultants' fees and other incidentals) and they are sold at $150,000, then the HDB is giving a subsidy of $50,000. On the other hand, if it sells the flats at, say, $350,000, it is in fact making a profit of $150,000, even though it may be giving a discount of $50,000 to the market price.
The flats in Queenstown that are close to the MRT station were constructed after demolishing low- and medium-rise blocks that were constructed during the early 1960s. The land on which they stood was acquired at very low cost. Even allowing for inflation, the final costs of the flats cannot be the prices now quoted by the HDB. At these prices, the flats are not subsidised.
To say they are sold at these prices because they are near the MRT station is to place a value on them and not their cost. It would have been far better had the HDB said that, because the flats are located close to amenities, they will not be subsidised, but will be sold at cost or even at a small profit to subsidise flats that are not so well located.
Cheong Chee Mun
sillyporean
New Member
"I wonder why HDB only builds 65 sqm 3rm. Why not hav a 90 sqm 3rm, but charge it at 4rm price, and allow those with household income > 3k to apply. And tat we're living in pigeon holes!!"
Building 3room flat at 65 sqm is more profitable. Lesser material, smaller floor area and more units per block...
Building 3room flat at 65 sqm is more profitable. Lesser material, smaller floor area and more units per block...
sillyporean
New Member
Not housing angels... then the housing devils?
Powder... i just love this nick.
Saw the papers the other day regarding punggol flats are beautiful while sengkang is old, ugly and not worthwhile to buy. Comparing the prices, i guess the 5 rooms are about the same leh. However, the CTE to sengkang is bad to travel on. No matter what i still prefer west because i only need 15 min from jurong west to town.
Saw the papers the other day regarding punggol flats are beautiful while sengkang is old, ugly and not worthwhile to buy. Comparing the prices, i guess the 5 rooms are about the same leh. However, the CTE to sengkang is bad to travel on. No matter what i still prefer west because i only need 15 min from jurong west to town.
hehe, same idea... i believe i have to live at places tat doesn'tuse the CTE, and preferably uses AYE/ECP... but it's more becos of me lah... i just dun have the driving patience for CTE... spoils my mood in the morning and at nite... dun wish to commute daily under such foul moods... keke
sillyporean
New Member
Interesting letter to Straits Times.
I bet NEA will say everything is safe and sound.
Dec 9, 2006
Is there study on link between air pollution and respiratory ailments in Jurong?
The sight of a towering pillar of billowing smoke from a fire at a plant in Jurong Island recently must have caused a lot of concern among many Jurong residents.
The first images was posted on Straits Times' Stomp website within minutes after the smoke appeared at 11am, thanks to alert members of the public.
One notes in the news report of Sunday Times that an official release from ExxonMobil, which could have allayed public concerns, was issued only 12 hours later, when most newspapers would have gone to print.
This is not something one would expect from a responsible corporate citizen. This late response by the company raises many questions.
Like, what would have happened if toxic gases were released? What precautions would residents need to take if this was the case? Are there any evacuation measures if the accident turns out to a serious one? Were members of the public warned to keep away from Jurong Island because of the fire (in case of explosions)?
More importantly, where would one find such information?
My wife noted that my daughter's asthmatic condition seemed to get worse whenever we detected strange, sometimes pungent, smells apparently from the occasional plant discharge in Jurong.
Has the National Environment Agency (NEA) and health authorities done any studies to determine if there's any correlation between such emissions and the number of respiratory complaints at polyclinics in the area, for example?
I have woken up in the middle of the night to be greeted by the smell and had to close the windows and turn on the air-conditioning and ionisers in the bedrooms.
Should the NEA look into setting up a news alert with an email option on its website which can inform residents of Jurong about impending plant emissions, especially if they are due to scheduled maintenance, so that we can take precautions for the sake our families' health?
Companies which have to release emissions into the environment, planned or otherwise, should inform the NEA in advance for such information to be posted on this website.
Finally, can the NEA also assure us that an accident similar to that of Union Carbide in Bhopal, India would not happen here given the large number of petrochemical plants in Jurong Island located close to the homes of hundreds of thousands of Jurong residents?
Leow Aik Jiang
I bet NEA will say everything is safe and sound.
Dec 9, 2006
Is there study on link between air pollution and respiratory ailments in Jurong?
The sight of a towering pillar of billowing smoke from a fire at a plant in Jurong Island recently must have caused a lot of concern among many Jurong residents.
The first images was posted on Straits Times' Stomp website within minutes after the smoke appeared at 11am, thanks to alert members of the public.
One notes in the news report of Sunday Times that an official release from ExxonMobil, which could have allayed public concerns, was issued only 12 hours later, when most newspapers would have gone to print.
This is not something one would expect from a responsible corporate citizen. This late response by the company raises many questions.
Like, what would have happened if toxic gases were released? What precautions would residents need to take if this was the case? Are there any evacuation measures if the accident turns out to a serious one? Were members of the public warned to keep away from Jurong Island because of the fire (in case of explosions)?
More importantly, where would one find such information?
My wife noted that my daughter's asthmatic condition seemed to get worse whenever we detected strange, sometimes pungent, smells apparently from the occasional plant discharge in Jurong.
Has the National Environment Agency (NEA) and health authorities done any studies to determine if there's any correlation between such emissions and the number of respiratory complaints at polyclinics in the area, for example?
I have woken up in the middle of the night to be greeted by the smell and had to close the windows and turn on the air-conditioning and ionisers in the bedrooms.
Should the NEA look into setting up a news alert with an email option on its website which can inform residents of Jurong about impending plant emissions, especially if they are due to scheduled maintenance, so that we can take precautions for the sake our families' health?
Companies which have to release emissions into the environment, planned or otherwise, should inform the NEA in advance for such information to be posted on this website.
Finally, can the NEA also assure us that an accident similar to that of Union Carbide in Bhopal, India would not happen here given the large number of petrochemical plants in Jurong Island located close to the homes of hundreds of thousands of Jurong residents?
Leow Aik Jiang
sillyporean
New Member
The author of the letter might possibly be in the thread too
hi all
whatever it is.... no matter where u stay...which country u are in.... just be thankful of what u have... dun take things for granted.... what u have may seem 'miserable' in your view but to to others...it may be a good deal. Staying anywhere has its pros n cons... n if anything, if u complain the new flats are small, try going into a HK flat in HK. U'll apppreciate your space. Just hope our flats dun end up like the ones in HK can liao.
For info, the space of flats in HK is so pathetic... if u have realtives.frens staying there, ask them to bring u ard in HK... u'll appreciate what u have in singapore.
Also, I've got frens who bought condo and came over to my house warming and were surprised of the space we had for a flat.
whatever it is.... no matter where u stay...which country u are in.... just be thankful of what u have... dun take things for granted.... what u have may seem 'miserable' in your view but to to others...it may be a good deal. Staying anywhere has its pros n cons... n if anything, if u complain the new flats are small, try going into a HK flat in HK. U'll apppreciate your space. Just hope our flats dun end up like the ones in HK can liao.
For info, the space of flats in HK is so pathetic... if u have realtives.frens staying there, ask them to bring u ard in HK... u'll appreciate what u have in singapore.
Also, I've got frens who bought condo and came over to my house warming and were surprised of the space we had for a flat.
hi all.. was considering to get a flat in JW however nost EA only left with low floors or i can choose area in Jalan Bahar (high floor, cheap prices).. Any idea if there will be new EA being released in JW? It's a dilemma for me now as i dont mind 2nd floor EA but my boyfriend mind. He prefer jalan bahar but i dont like. esp when the entire block is 80% empty (just thus particular blk!!) really need all of your advises..
sillyporean
New Member
angela,
There are still alot of empty flats in Jurong West. HDB is gradually releasing them for sale. No need to rush into a decision.
There are still alot of empty flats in Jurong West. HDB is gradually releasing them for sale. No need to rush into a decision.
jan4january
New Member
i think after the completion of jw extension mrt station, no one will say j w is a condemned pl anymore.
joyousonline
New Member
haha everyone is trying to get a unit here in JW esp near the new pioneer mrt..certainly looking forward to it!
i stayed in jurong for the first 13 years of my life. taman jurong up to 5 years old, thereafter i moved to jurong west st 91, beside xingnan pri school. really disliked it esp having to take such a long feeder service just to reach boon lay interchange. travelling to my sec school was a torture, after travelling for almost 30 min, only end up at the interchange. those who say singapore is small compared to other countries hence stay everywhere is the same - i disagree. in rural areas, ppl drive everywhere, so how you judge distance is very different. if you stay in your own town where all the amenities are, your kid studies there and you work there. if you work in the city, you'll move to the suburbs at least and drive/take subway to work. staying in jurong west and taking public transport is so frustrating cos you know the same journey can be completed so much faster, but always at the mercy of transport operator.
i can testify for the airplane sounds - very very loud, esp closer to national day. enough to wake up babies. my mother used to babysit to supplement family income, the baby will wake up and cry when the planes roared past. i got used to it after staying for so long. also in recent years, boon lay area is totaly flooded with foreign workers. i have some primary school friends who still stay there, other than foreign workers, many flats have been bought by PRCs. They have a huge community there.
have since moved to bukit batok, still not centralised, but compared to where i stayed before, it is much better, at least i can either take a long walk to the train station or a short feeder service. it is also well connected by bus.
personally i feel if you work in town then stay either near mrt or buy a flat nearer to city if you can afford it. i would have moved if i can afford it. still trying to inch nearer to town.
unless you can afford to drive everywhere of cos, then the whole equation changes, you can probably stay anywhere you like.
in comparison i liked taman jurong a lot more probably cos i was so young then and didn't travel out much, also had many happy memories playing with other kids, the culture was very different, and there was a lot of open space. the whole area i stayed in was torn down. the taman jurong HDB flats have since been built on the same plot of land.
i can testify for the airplane sounds - very very loud, esp closer to national day. enough to wake up babies. my mother used to babysit to supplement family income, the baby will wake up and cry when the planes roared past. i got used to it after staying for so long. also in recent years, boon lay area is totaly flooded with foreign workers. i have some primary school friends who still stay there, other than foreign workers, many flats have been bought by PRCs. They have a huge community there.
have since moved to bukit batok, still not centralised, but compared to where i stayed before, it is much better, at least i can either take a long walk to the train station or a short feeder service. it is also well connected by bus.
personally i feel if you work in town then stay either near mrt or buy a flat nearer to city if you can afford it. i would have moved if i can afford it. still trying to inch nearer to town.
unless you can afford to drive everywhere of cos, then the whole equation changes, you can probably stay anywhere you like.
in comparison i liked taman jurong a lot more probably cos i was so young then and didn't travel out much, also had many happy memories playing with other kids, the culture was very different, and there was a lot of open space. the whole area i stayed in was torn down. the taman jurong HDB flats have since been built on the same plot of land.
Mabel, u mentioned dat ur mother babysit b4. Is she still babysitting? I hv a fren stays ard d sport complex n looking 4 a nanny 2 look aft her baby gal (5mths old). Her existing nanny not going 2 look after her gal anymore so she is eager 2 find exp. n good nanny ard JW extn. If not, does ur mum has any fren 2 recommend?
hey mabel n happycake, JW is not dat bad aft all lah. I grown up near city n stayed there 4 abt 28yrs b4 moving 2 JW. Initially, i agreed JW is a horrified town 2 stay but as yrs passed with more amenities setting up at JW. I told my hb dat I'm not selling our unit anymore. Perhaps I'm lucky 2 stay near Library n JP (within walking dist.) dare4 dun face prob with feeder bus but still I hate d RSAF planes flying ard esp. after 6pm whereby we juz 1 a quiet n relax time after a long hard day at work. Now dat d SAFRA opening soon, my 2 kids will have another adventure plc to go during tis June sch holidays. Cheer up, ladies. JW isn't dat bad aft all, look at d beauti site dat have built over d past few yrs compare 2 10+ yrs ago.
Have anyone seen such orange body black head 6 legged spider in your Flat at Jurong West?
I spotted a couple of these spiders when we first got our keys to this NEW flat 1 yr ago.
Since we moved in, we found a couple more in our bedroom and toilet area.
Long stretch / row of ants in walls of our the bedroom, wardrobe, toilet, kitchen. name it.
My friend who is staying nearby me said she have the same problem untill she uses a chalk to stops the ants.
I never seen such spider and so many ants at my old flat at Toa Payoh where i lived for 5 years.
I could not find any info about this spider. I hope they are not harmful. I found a $1 size swelling on my pet's skin and it never recovered after antibiotics. Hopefully not Spider bites.
I spotted a couple of these spiders when we first got our keys to this NEW flat 1 yr ago.
Since we moved in, we found a couple more in our bedroom and toilet area.
Long stretch / row of ants in walls of our the bedroom, wardrobe, toilet, kitchen. name it.
My friend who is staying nearby me said she have the same problem untill she uses a chalk to stops the ants.
I never seen such spider and so many ants at my old flat at Toa Payoh where i lived for 5 years.
I could not find any info about this spider. I hope they are not harmful. I found a $1 size swelling on my pet's skin and it never recovered after antibiotics. Hopefully not Spider bites.
I guess the main concerned of the cons of JW most people have is:
1) Distance
2) Close by to Factories - Pollution and the COCOA Smell
As for me, my only saddness is Noise - Structure of the flat. I don't hear foot steps or talking at Toa Payoh flat although I stay on the 2nd floor. Here, Kitchen faces the master room so you can hear all kinds of noise till 3 to 4am. Hanging clothes, loud talking & quarrelling and washing plates, footsteps. ( next to me is the 24hrs macdonald ) so people don't sleep that early.
What is amazed is I hear LOUD doorbells ringing loudly at midnight to 2am and we were shaken up as we thought someone was at the door. It was after quite a while we found the bell was from upstairs. When we tested out doorbell, it was alot softer. How could this be? we should hear our own bell louder since it is in the house.
We never hear someone's doorbell in Toa Payoh House. I guess the soundproofing and structure are a little different. Most of the time, we end up getting tired with all the sounds.
1) Distance
2) Close by to Factories - Pollution and the COCOA Smell
As for me, my only saddness is Noise - Structure of the flat. I don't hear foot steps or talking at Toa Payoh flat although I stay on the 2nd floor. Here, Kitchen faces the master room so you can hear all kinds of noise till 3 to 4am. Hanging clothes, loud talking & quarrelling and washing plates, footsteps. ( next to me is the 24hrs macdonald ) so people don't sleep that early.
What is amazed is I hear LOUD doorbells ringing loudly at midnight to 2am and we were shaken up as we thought someone was at the door. It was after quite a while we found the bell was from upstairs. When we tested out doorbell, it was alot softer. How could this be? we should hear our own bell louder since it is in the house.
We never hear someone's doorbell in Toa Payoh House. I guess the soundproofing and structure are a little different. Most of the time, we end up getting tired with all the sounds.