Sengkang, meaning prosperous harbor in Chinese, is the second most populated region in Singapore's northeastern region. And, for a good reason. Throughout the 20th century, and until the 1990s, it was once a booming port town with ample rubber, pepper plantations and pineapple plantations, and fishing villages. Sengkang, previously called Kangkar, was transformed to become a flourishing residential estate that has since been broken down into seven subdivisions, namely Sungei Serangoon West, Sungei Serangoon East, Serangoon Town Centre, Trafalgar, Buangkok, Jalan Kayu West, Jalan Kayu East.

This change in setup from public housing to estate housing is thanks to an urban design team looking to take Sengkang into the next century.

Today, about 230,000 people live here, with the Sengkang New Town community becoming Singapore's most sought after residential region. This community is regarded as a wealthy suburb with all the modern amenities people desire. It's expected that the number of people will rise in the next decade. 

 

Sengkang Living 

Residents of Sengkang have all the modern amenities associated with the urban lifestyle. The homes of Sengkang include both newer and older residences. There are several apartments and condos to choose from as well. For example, the Sengkang Grand Residence is an integrated development – it is coupled with the Sengkang Grand Mall and located right on top and with direct accessibility to Buangkok MRT Station. 

Prospective residents looking to rent or buy a condo should consider the many different offerings such as Parc Botannia, Ola Residences and La Fiesta.  Smart homes and luxury homes are also available for those looking for a residence with all the technological gadgets available. 

Given the extensive nature of the Sengkang community, it's no real big surprise by the number of schools available here for students – from pre-school to higher education. 

• Primary Schools – Anchor Green Primary School, Compassvale Primary School, Fernvale Primary School, Nan Chiau Primary School and Seng Kang Primary School 
• Secondary Schools – CHIJ St. Joseph's Convent, Compassvale Secondary School, Nan Chiau High School, Pei Hwa Secondary School and Seng Kang Secondary School 
• Higher Education Schools – University of New Brunswick 

Plans are in the works for a junior college to handle the influx of students moving into the region. 

Given the number of people living here, medical care is a must. The community has many to choose from, including Sengkang General Hospital, Buangkok Green Medical Park, Institute of Mental Health and Bright Vision Hospital.

Religion is also important for many residents, which is why many places of worship are available – no matter what the denomination is – Arulmigu Velmurugan Gnanamuneeswarar Temple and Paut Jit Buddhist Temple and Sengkang Methodist Community Church. 

Sengkang living is certainly not complete without some form of shopping available. In Sengkang, there are a plethora of retail options, which could be considered its own island. The area's largest mall is Compass One (previously known as Compass Point). The mall centers on learning but has since brought in major lifestyle and retail companies such as Cold Storage, Lego, Cotton On, etc. 

Smaller malls such as Buangkok Square Mall, Rivervale Plaza and Rivervale Mall provide stores that give residents all the necessities they need to make a house a home. These malls are geared more toward household buying needs, such as grocery shopping. 

The newest area mall, Seletar Mall, often brings in visitors from other parts of the country. That's because the mall is home to more than 130 stores, selling products of all types. It also uses energy-efficient systems. 

 

When It's Time To Relax 

With the influx of people moving into the area, the area has seen a spike in the number of restaurants and cafés. Settling on a place will be difficult because of the number of choices. 

If you have a desire for something and a family has a hankering for something else, consider Kopitiam Square, which has more than 50 stalls and seven large restaurant-style stalls, offering cuisines from around the world. You can try the tissue Prata or Hainanese chicken rice. With so many choices in places to eat here, you'll come back over and over to try each one. 

At Seletar Mall is the THREE by Table Concepts restaurant, which serves French, Japanese and Thai foods. Again, another place to consider if you just do not know what you want to eat. Other Sengkang malls offer an array of popular dining establishments – Ichiban Sushi, McDonald's, Subway, Beard Papa's Nakhon Kitchen, etc. 

If you love coffee and ice cream, Sengkang has no short supply of coffee shops that also serve ice cream for breakfast. For example, Lickers is a family-friendly café that includes a menu with some unusual offerings such as Cookie Monster or Yakult Oreo. 

Other places to try include:

• Bistro Delifrance
• Jack's Place
• Wasabi Restaurant

Family fun and quiet time can be found at the many different community centers and clubs Sengkang has to offer. There are many parks within the housing estate along with Anchorvale Community Center, Sengkang Swimming Complex and Sengkang Hockey Stadium. At the Sengkang Sports Center, there are two covered pools along with a hockey stadium. 

 

Interesting Tidbits

• Sengkang was once known as Kangkar, meaning foot of the port – a reference to the Sungei Serangoon fishing port. 
• Sengkang was the first satellite new town developed around the time of public transportation convenience. It's also the place of the second LRT line. 

 

HDB Resale Flats Prices in Sengkang

Sengkang HDB Resale Flat Prices
Flat type	Average Price
1-room	N/A
2-room	$240,000
3-room	$344,000
4-room	$430,000
5-room	$494,000
Executive	$567,000
Multi-Generation	N/A

Source: HDB resale price index portal, average transaction prices, June 2019 to June 2020

 

Having been developed starting in the 1990s and continuing into the early 2000s, Sengkang has grown into a bustling town with many amenities. HDB resale flat prices here may be slightly lower than Punggol's since their resale flats are newer. 

Residents here have easy access to shopping at Compass Point, Fernvale, and Rivervale Plaza, enjoy neighbourhood clubs and wonderful educational institutions. Getting around Singapore is easy from Sengkang using the bus, LRT and MRT. 

Future enhancements are in the planning stages for Sengkang, with a park at Hampstead Gardens, enhanced features at The Oval @ Seletar Aerospace Park, expansive childcare centres, and the redevelopment around Buangkok MRT Station.