Upgrading of Private Estates above 30 Years Old

Mr Chong Kee Hiong asked the Minister for National Development how many private estates there are that are currently above 30 years old and whether there is a plan to upgrade these estates through the Estate Upgrading Programme by a certain due date.

Since the Estate Upgrading Programme (EUP) was launched in 2000, the Ministry of National Development (MND) has selected 63 private estates through nine batches of EUP, benefiting more than 46,000 households. There are about five to nine estates selected in each batch. In selecting estates for EUP, we consider the age of the estate as well as the physical conditions. We prioritise the older estates, which have greater need and more opportunities for significant improvement through the upgrading works. These works include installation of park furniture and playground equipment that provide a more conducive environment for community bonding, and footpath improvement to provide better connectivity and accessibility. With the nine batches of EUP, we are making good progress in upgrading the estates that are more than 30 years old.

MND aims to offer EUP to more estates. There are slightly more than 20 estates which are more than 30 years old and have yet to be selected for EUP. We will continue to prioritise these older estates for EUP.

The pace of the programme will depend on the resources available. We will also coordinate with other Government agencies that are also planning upgrading works, so as to minimise inconvenience to the public.