poll

In the early 1980s, two rows of six terraces were developed by the late Koh Peng Hai. The main access road through Robey Crescent (with sidewalks and drains) was surrendered to the State for maintenance (see photo in section 1).  As reported by Mothership on 9 Dec 2025, Mr. Koh was a leader of Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan and the Upper Serangoon Citizens’ Consultantive Committee. He was conferred the Public Service Star (Bar) in 1992 and passed away in 2002.  At the back of each of these terraces is a back gate for egress and to maintain an open drain that collects surface runoff from the terraces. In 2013, the leftover land to one side of Robey Cresent was sold at $210 psf to the owners of the terraces. The leftover land on the other side, adjacent to the remnant land (marked R in Section 1, Master Plan 1985) is the subject of the news.

This piece of remnant land  was carved out of the Hougang HDB estate and sold by the HDB. It was developed into Henley Gardens in 1998.  On the remnant land was a concrete pathway (photo in Section 1) which served as an important link along a popular walkway across the estate over a covered canal to a bus stop along Hougang Ave 2 and across it to HDB amenities and two schools.  This concrete pathway was expunged and diverted onto the subject leftover land.  A back lane with concealed drain was built over it by the developer of Henley Gardens.

27 years later, a fence and gate went up on 28 Oct 2025 to cut this link. News broke on Yahoo News (8 Nov), Zhaobao (14 Nov), Mustsharenews (20 Nov), Singapore.shafagna (21 Nov), HardwareZone (22 Nov), Reddit (23 Nov), Straits Times and Mothership (21 Nov), Yahoo poll & Oyunterapimarket (27 Nov) and Mothership again on 6 Dec.  Mothership reported that my neighbour Serene Chua and I decided to speak out because the responses so far from all parties have yielded no fruitful solution.  We believe that restoring the back lane is about allowing the safest and most convenient route to the HDB amenities across Hougang Ave 2.  It is also about building on the legacy of former MP Dr. Lau Teik Soon (deceased), who inspired the covering of the canal into a popular walkway across the estate after two lads were reportedly swept away in a storm in the 1980s. 

In section 1, I presented my research.  In section 2, I analysed that more than a thousand residents (350 lots by 4 persons) are affected by plotting an equidistant spot 460 m from the bus stop.  In section 3, I highlighted the ill-conceived crossing over the canal that created a one metre barrier and undid past upgrading efforts to make the alternate route suitable for wheelchair use.  I suggest the removal of this as one option, including other options for resolution, in an effort to get your feedback and perspective.  To get to the crux, I valued the leftover land to be between $300,000 and $700,000, the former based on the one 2013 transacted price adjusted to present value and the latter based on the Chief Valuer’s Land Betterment Charge, respectively.