For Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme

Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for National Development (a) in selecting precincts for the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS), what are the weights given to (i) the age of the blocks (ii) their redevelopment potential (iii) the availability of suitable replacement sites (iv) the Government's financial resources and (v) other factors; and (b) what are the reasons for selecting the four HDB blocks in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 for SERS despite them being only 43 years old.

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.