A. Singapore has only 13 DBSS developments in its history. These are still considered HDB flats, but they were developed by private developers. Some people view them with caution since some units are priced similarly to ECs or condominiums.

One unique feature is that the keys are collected directly from the private developers, not from HDB.

I was fortunate to visit each of the 13 DBSS developments, thanks to clients who invited me for Feng Shui consultations during their respective T.O.P.

B. Together, these developments offer a total of 8,649 housing units.

L = Launch Date  
T = T.O.P. (HDB calls this Lease Commencement Date or Lease Start Date)

1. L2006 The Premiere @ Tampines T2009 – Condo-style balcony.

2. L2008 Park Central @ AMK T2011 – I like this site.

3. L2008 City View @ Boon Keng T2011 – Features one of the biggest balconies. Today, unit prices reach a million dollars.

4. L2008 Natura Loft @ Bishan T2012 – I like this site.

5. L2009 Parc Lumiere @ Simei T2011 – “Straight line / Pencil Thin” layout.

6. L2009 The Peak @ Toa Payoh T2012 – Activities often surround Blocks 126, 127, and 128. Front doors open directly to the kitchen and yard.

7. L2011 Adora Green @ Yishun T2013 – During launch, the block facing Khoo Teck Puat Hospital was the most expensive.

8. L2011 Belvia @ Bedok T2014 – Fair overall.

9. L2011 Centrale 8 @ Tampines T2015 – Dense development.

10. L2011 Trivelis @ Clementi T2015 – “Hilly.” I remember the dark-colored exterior facade.

11. L2011 Lake Vista @ Yuan Ching @ Jurong West T2015 – Some units had a few “spiritual encounters.”

12. L2012 Parkland Residences @ Hougang T2014 – Nice views, but expect to face the afternoon sun.

13. L2012 Pasir Ris One @ Pasir Ris T2015 – Narrow corridors; do be considerate when leaving the grille gate open.

Case Study 1A: Why did this experiment fail? First impressions matter.

1. When the prices for the first completed DBSS, The Premiere @ Tampines, were announced, many people were concerned about how expensive the units were.

 

Case Study 1B: Negative Feedback on the Final DBSS – Pasir Ris One

1. When Pasir Ris One’s lease commenced and residents collected their keys, some were genuinely disappointed by the narrow width of the common corridor.

2. Although the corridor met the minimum guideline of around 1.2 metres, it still caused dissatisfaction among residents.

3. A distinctive feature of most DBSS projects is that the majority of units come with balconies. City View, for example, offers a particularly generous balcony space. However, the area of the balcony is included in the unit’s total square footage, even though it is often not a practical living space.

4. Today, the government restricts the percentage of balcony or PES area relative to the overall unit size.

5. I still vividly remember visiting clients who had just collected their keys at The Premiere @ Tampines. Since then, I have visited all thirteen DBSS developments, including the last one at Pasir Ris One. How time flies!

Good Bye, Sayonara, Mampost!

1. There is often no need for a private developer to design or manage such projects.

2. Many private developers, such as Sim Lian, began their business as main contractors.

3. For example, in the late 1990s, Sim Lian worked on projects for Hong Kong-based MCL Land.

4. A good example of a site managed by HDB is the existing HDB SkyTerrace@Dawson.

5. HDB SkyTerrace@Dawson could easily be mistaken for a private estate, except for the lack of fencing, guards, and pool or clubhouse facilities. Unfortunately, the quality of workmanship was previously found to be poor in this development, which is quite a shame.

Trivia: Is the DBSS the fore-runner of Executive Condos (ECs)?

No, that is not true.

The predecessors of Executive Condominiums (ECs) were the Housing and Urban Development Corporation flats, or HUDC flats, which were different from HDB flats. At that time, HUDC flats were meant for middle-income families who exceeded the salary ceiling for HDB flats.

The first batch, built around 1976, included Laguna Park (Laguna View was reserved for civil servants), Farrer Road, Amber One, and Braddell Heights. Farrer Road and Amber One have already gone through en bloc redevelopment.

 

Did you know that from key collection up to the end of 2023, the locations of luck sectors will remain the same, but from 2024 to 2043, these sectors will shift to new areas?

 

The Premiere @ Tampines Site Plan:

It is two parellel rows of a total of 8 blocks. Where each row has 4 blocks each:- 

A safe design. Many of my clients who first got their keys in 2009 have since moved out. A few I last met several years ago bought an actual condo unit. The last was at Waterview at Tampines Condo.

A Sample of the 2009 generation Feng Shui Worksheet:-

Samples of our latest Worksheets for discussion shows much more details:-

 

Related:

 

DBSS Belvia @ Bedok Reservoir

Here are the main points from this page:

• Overview of DBSS: Singapore had only 13 Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS) developments, built by private developers but classified as HDB flats. Together, they provided 8,649 units.

• Pricing Issues: The scheme was stopped in 2012 due to runaway prices. Some units cost around a million dollars then, and still do today.

• Unique Features:

  • Keys were collected directly from private developers, not HDB.

  • Most DBSS units included balconies, but their area was counted in the total square footage, leading to dissatisfaction. The government later restricted balcony size ratios.

• Case Studies & Feedback:

  • The first DBSS, The Premiere @ Tampines, shocked buyers with high prices.

  • The last DBSS, Pasir Ris One, drew complaints about narrow corridors, even though they met minimum guidelines.

• Comparison with Other Housing: DBSS was not a precursor to Executive Condominiums (ECs). ECs evolved from HUDC flats built in the 1970s for middle-income families.

• Developer Role & Quality: Some private developers (e.g., Sim Lian) started as contractors. HDB-managed projects like SkyTerrace@Dawson resembled private estates but suffered from poor workmanship.

• Legacy: The DBSS experiment is remembered as short-lived, with mixed reviews—luxury-style features but pricing and design flaws that ultimately led to its discontinuation.

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