New Reporter
09-10-23, 12:37
Fifth and final BTO project delayed by defunct contractor Greatearth is complete: HDB
Oct 08, 2023
THE last of the five Build-To-Order (BTO) projects delayed when construction company Greatearth went bust two years ago has been completed, with the majority of residents having collected their keys, said the Housing Board (HDB) on Sunday (Oct 8).
As at Sep 30, residents had collected the keys to 534 of 659 booked units at West Coast ParkView in Clementi.
Minister for National Development Desmond Lee thanked residents for their patience and understanding in a Facebook post on Sunday.
He said HDB had worked with contractors to prioritise the completion of the residential blocks so as to deliver the units to home owners as soon as possible. He added that works may still be ongoing for some common areas and facilities, and will be completed by the end of the year.
The Clementi project was initially slated for completion in the second quarter of 2023 amid delays due to Covid-19.
It serves as one of the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (Sers) replacement sites for residents in blocks 513 to 520 West Coast Road.
But the deadline was pushed back after the winding up of Greatearth Corporation and Greatearth Construction in 2021.
In all, the liquidation affected a total of 2,982 units across five projects. The other projects are Sky Vista @ Bukit Batok, Senja Heights and Senja Ridges in Bukit Panjang, and Marsiling Grove in Woodlands.
HDB said on Sunday that all five projects had already been delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic, and it was able to keep the total delays between two and 12 months from the original estimated completion at launch, though one block at Senja Heights did not face any delays.
Construction on the projects ground to a halt in August 2021, after Greatearth ran into financial difficulties during the pandemic and was unable to continue with the works despite government assistance, added HDB.
New contractors were appointed at the end of September 2021, and HDB said in its statement on Sunday that works resumed in October 2021.
HDB added that it had helped to source for suitable contractors to take over and also worked closely with partner agencies to help the contractors bring in more workers, and to allow quieter works to be carried out on Sundays and public holidays.
“We recognise that Greatearth’s failure and the further delays have brought inconvenience to our flat buyers, and are grateful for their extended patience and understanding,” said HDB chief executive Tan Meng Dui. “We are also grateful for the hard work and commitment of our construction partners, who have worked tirelessly with the HDB project teams to complete the projects while ensuring quality and safety.”
Richard Yong, 71, whose previous home was among the eight blocks in West Coast Road picked for Sers in August 2016, collected the keys to his three-room replacement flat in West Coast ParkView in September.
The part-time F&B worker said he and his wife were disappointed when news emerged that the contractor had gone bust. Now, he is finishing up some minor renovation work in his new home and hopes to move in sometime in November.
“It is in a good location, and there are a lot of amenities within a five- to 15-minute walk even though the commercial block is not yet completed,” he added.
The commercial block, which will have food and beverage outlets and a childcare centre, is among some of the common areas that are still not completed, as HDB had prioritised completing the residential blocks.
Said HDB: “While we understand this is not ideal and may cause some inconvenience, the feedback from the vast majority of our flat buyers is that they would like to receive the keys to their flats as soon as possible.”
Works in these common areas are expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2023.
Among the other projects delayed, Senja Ridges was completed in January 2022, Senja Heights in Bukit Panjang was completed in February 2022, Sky Vista @ Bukit Batok was completed in November 2022, and Marsiling Grove in Woodlands was completed in March 2023.
More than 95 per cent of flat buyers have collected their keys for all these projects.
Minister Lee noted in his Facebook post that HDB had made good on almost 75 per cent of the projects delayed by the pandemic and intends to complete the rest by early 2025.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/property/fifth-and-final-bto-project-delayed-defunct-contractor-greatearth-complete-hdb
Oct 08, 2023
THE last of the five Build-To-Order (BTO) projects delayed when construction company Greatearth went bust two years ago has been completed, with the majority of residents having collected their keys, said the Housing Board (HDB) on Sunday (Oct 8).
As at Sep 30, residents had collected the keys to 534 of 659 booked units at West Coast ParkView in Clementi.
Minister for National Development Desmond Lee thanked residents for their patience and understanding in a Facebook post on Sunday.
He said HDB had worked with contractors to prioritise the completion of the residential blocks so as to deliver the units to home owners as soon as possible. He added that works may still be ongoing for some common areas and facilities, and will be completed by the end of the year.
The Clementi project was initially slated for completion in the second quarter of 2023 amid delays due to Covid-19.
It serves as one of the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (Sers) replacement sites for residents in blocks 513 to 520 West Coast Road.
But the deadline was pushed back after the winding up of Greatearth Corporation and Greatearth Construction in 2021.
In all, the liquidation affected a total of 2,982 units across five projects. The other projects are Sky Vista @ Bukit Batok, Senja Heights and Senja Ridges in Bukit Panjang, and Marsiling Grove in Woodlands.
HDB said on Sunday that all five projects had already been delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic, and it was able to keep the total delays between two and 12 months from the original estimated completion at launch, though one block at Senja Heights did not face any delays.
Construction on the projects ground to a halt in August 2021, after Greatearth ran into financial difficulties during the pandemic and was unable to continue with the works despite government assistance, added HDB.
New contractors were appointed at the end of September 2021, and HDB said in its statement on Sunday that works resumed in October 2021.
HDB added that it had helped to source for suitable contractors to take over and also worked closely with partner agencies to help the contractors bring in more workers, and to allow quieter works to be carried out on Sundays and public holidays.
“We recognise that Greatearth’s failure and the further delays have brought inconvenience to our flat buyers, and are grateful for their extended patience and understanding,” said HDB chief executive Tan Meng Dui. “We are also grateful for the hard work and commitment of our construction partners, who have worked tirelessly with the HDB project teams to complete the projects while ensuring quality and safety.”
Richard Yong, 71, whose previous home was among the eight blocks in West Coast Road picked for Sers in August 2016, collected the keys to his three-room replacement flat in West Coast ParkView in September.
The part-time F&B worker said he and his wife were disappointed when news emerged that the contractor had gone bust. Now, he is finishing up some minor renovation work in his new home and hopes to move in sometime in November.
“It is in a good location, and there are a lot of amenities within a five- to 15-minute walk even though the commercial block is not yet completed,” he added.
The commercial block, which will have food and beverage outlets and a childcare centre, is among some of the common areas that are still not completed, as HDB had prioritised completing the residential blocks.
Said HDB: “While we understand this is not ideal and may cause some inconvenience, the feedback from the vast majority of our flat buyers is that they would like to receive the keys to their flats as soon as possible.”
Works in these common areas are expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2023.
Among the other projects delayed, Senja Ridges was completed in January 2022, Senja Heights in Bukit Panjang was completed in February 2022, Sky Vista @ Bukit Batok was completed in November 2022, and Marsiling Grove in Woodlands was completed in March 2023.
More than 95 per cent of flat buyers have collected their keys for all these projects.
Minister Lee noted in his Facebook post that HDB had made good on almost 75 per cent of the projects delayed by the pandemic and intends to complete the rest by early 2025.
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/property/fifth-and-final-bto-project-delayed-defunct-contractor-greatearth-complete-hdb