CARPARKS IN NEW HDB ESTATES

CARPARKS IN NEW HDB ESTATES:

(Ratio of lots to residential units): The following Question stood in the name of Mdm Cynthia Phua –

2. To ask the Minister for National Development (a) what is the ratio of carpark lots to the number of residential units in new HDB estates; (b) whether there are plans to increase the carpark lots in the mature estates to reflect changes in the population demographics as more HDB units now have more than one car with the children becoming working adults; and (c) whether the Ministry is planning to build any new multi-storey carparks in the older precincts in Aljunied GRC.

Mr Seah Kian Peng: Question No. 2.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for National Development (Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman) (for the Minister for National Development): In general, HDB’s 1,800 car parks are sufficient to cater to both season parking and short term parking needs of the various housing estates. The average season parking take-up rate in HDB car parks is about 73% currently.

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However, due to changes in the demographic profiles and car ownership patterns, about 10% of HDB car parks are currently unable to meet local parking demand. HDB is looking into supply as well as demand management measures to alleviate the shortages at these car parks.

Depending on the availability of space as well as cost considerations, HDB may add parking lots by extending the existing surface car parks into adjacent vacant land, adding parking decks to existing multi-storey car parks (MSCPs), or constructing new MSCPs to replace existing surface car parks.

HDB currently has no plans to construct MSCPs in Aljunied GRC as the shortfalls in parking lots at the affected locations are too small to justify the provision of MSCPs. It will look into providing additional parking lots through other means instead.

There are limits to increasing car parks in land scarce Singapore. Therefore, demand management measures are also essential. Where there are only limited parking lots for season parking ticket holders, HDB accords priority to the first car in each household. HDB also groups its car parks for season parking such that car owners living in several nearby blocks share their car park lots.

HDB will continue to monitor and manage the supply and demand for HDB car parks to address residents’ changing parking needs.