Residents fear plans of new columbarium complex in Mandai may affect property prices, impact en bloc deal - TODAY

RESIDENTS QUESTION CHOICE OF LOCATION

Mr Toh Hai Poh, a 79-year-old retiree, disagreed with the choice of location. 

“Why does it have to be so out in the open?” he said.

“These kinds of buildings are very sensitive. They should be hidden further down the road. 

“I think there’s a lot more land towards Upper Seletar Reservoir they can choose from. It doesn’t have to be this particular location.” 

Mr Toh, who has been living in his landed property with his wife and daughter since 2002, said he was shocked when he found out about the news. 

“When we bought the property back then, we decided on it because the area here is very breezy and peaceful. But now they (the Government) suddenly want to build another columbarium, it’s not fair to residents here,” he said. 

A landed property resident, who wanted to be known only as Mrs Yee, 56, is certain that the new columbarium would impact property prices in the estate.

"So far, I have no plans to sell, but you'll never know what the future holds or if my kids may have other plans," she said.

"If I do plan to move out, then the selling price probably won't be as high."

A business owner, who wished to be known only as Pang Y L, 65, also questioned the rationale of choosing the plot, which looks “exposed”. 

“It’s not a good thing to expose the columbarium. It should be hidden. It’s not so good, especially in terms of fengshui,” he said.

“It won’t be good for the residents of upcoming developments in the area, too.” 

As for property prices, Mr Pang, who lives in a landed property, said he was not too concerned about them because he has no plans to sell or move out. “I’m just worried about the outlook.”

Meanwhile, retiree Sam Tien’s main concern was the address of the new columbarium complex. 

The 63-year-old, also a resident of Hong Heng Mansions, said if there was no way to change the location, it would be better for the new complex’s main gate to be built facing Mandai Ave rather than Sembawang Road. 

That way, the columbarium can still be loosely called Mandai Columbarium. 

“If the main entrance were to face Sembawang Road, then it would be Sembawang Columbarium.

“This would affect the overall market sentiment. Maybe property prices in Sembawang, especially those of us who live along Sembawang Road here, will drop because people will think of columbariums when it comes to Sembawang,” he said. 

TODAY has reached out to NEA for comment on the concerns raised.

CALL FOR CIVIC-MINDEDNESS

However, not all Sembawang Road residents were against the idea. 

"We live around columbariums, there's no concern," one resident said, requesting anonymity.

Healthcare professional Eugene Poh, 45, said he was fine with the proposal, too. 

“I hope we can influence Singaporeans to be a bit less self-centred, more civic-minded, and to think more logically,” he said.

“As it is, we are land-scarce. And people who are bereaved would want an area that’s not too far to pay their respects.”

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