http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/real...sing-postponed

CYCLIST-FRIENDLY TOWNS

Sengkang EC tender closing postponed

Extension is to give bidders more time to study LTA requirement for a minimum of 88 bicycle parking spaces

By Kalpana Rashiwala

[email protected]@KalpanaBT

31 Dec


THE Housing and Development Board (HDB) has postponed the tender closing for an executive condo (EC) development site in Anchorvale Crescent in the Sengkang East location to allow potential bidders time to study an additional requirement set by the Land Transport Authority for the provision of sheltered bicycle parking spaces.

The tender for the 99-year leasehold site was originally due to close on Tuesday but on Christmas Eve, HDB informed potential tenderers that had collected the tender documents of the postponement in the tender closing to Jan 20, 2015, a HDB spokesman said in response to BT's queries. The new condition for the site states that to encourage cycling as a mode of transportation, the successful tenderer is required to provide a minimum of 88 bicycle parking spaces within the development.

"However, any provision above the minimum requirement shall be subject to evaluation... Bicycle parking area(s) that meet LTA's requirements can be considered for GFA (gross floor area) exemption," according to the tender conditions listed for the site.

Once approved, the bicycle parking area or areas will not be allowed to be converted for other uses without approval from the authorities.

The bicycle parking facilities are to be kept open for use by residents.

LTA's Land Transport Masterplan 2013 launched last October outlined plans to boost the islandwide cycling-path network to more than 700 km by 2030 as part of the plans to support cycling as an alternative transport mode.

Eventually all 26 Housing Board towns will have a network of dedicated cycling paths for residents to ride to MRT stations and neighbourhood centres.

The 1.75-hectare Anchorvale Crescent EC site, near Cheng Lim LRT Station, can be developed into an estimated 525 EC units. ECs are a public-private housing hybrid with initial buyer eligibility and resale conditions that are fully lifted 10 years after the completion of the project.