Debated in Parliament on 9 May 2022.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Minister for National Development (a) what are the criteria and weightage of factors used in determining redevelopment potential of HDB flats to be chosen for the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS) and for flats which are identified; and (b) what is the process by which the timing of SERS is determined and redevelopment initiated for such flats already identified.
SERS was introduced in 1995 as part of our estate renewal strategy for older HDB estates. It allows us to optimise land through the redevelopment of selected HDB precincts which have high development value.
SERS involves compulsory acquisition and is, therefore, highly selective. The identification of suitable sites and the pace of SERS require careful site-by-site evaluation of various factors, including the redevelopment potential of the site, the availability of suitable replacement sites to rehouse the flat owners involved and the Government's financial resources. While the age of the precinct is a consideration, there is no fixed age criterion to determine if a precinct is suitable for SERS.
Given these considerations, HDB has estimated that only around 5% of all HDB flats are suitable for SERS. However, I would like to emphasise that this is not a target. Most of the projects with high redevelopment potential have already been selected. To date, about 41,000 flats across 82 sites have been announced for SERS and we do not expect many more sites to be eligible. As SERS information is market-sensitive, we cannot share the details of the remaining blocks to be redeveloped or other related information ahead of any SERS announcement.
PAPERCUTS