COMMONWEALTH CRESCENT (Conversion of old ground floor rental units into void decks)

Mr Chay Wai Chuen asked the Minister for National Development whether the Housing and Development Board will build void decks in some of the vacated ground-floor flats at Commonwealth Crescent.

Dr Lee Boon Yang (for the Minister for National Development): Mr Speaker, Sir, in mid-1987, HDB converted the ground floor at Block 104, Commonwealth Crescent, into a void deck when all the ground floor rental units became vacant.

HDB will only proceed to convert the ground floor of old blocks of flats into void decks if they will not be affected by redevelopment plans within the next five years. This is to ensure that any money spent on conversion work does not go to waste when the blocks are demolished shortly after.

HDB is presently studying the redevelopment plan for the Commonwealth Cres- cent area. There are no immediate plans to convert any vacated ground floor flats at Commonwealth Crescent into void decks.

Void decks will, however, be provided in any new blocks built in place of the old blocks as part of the redevelopment programme.

Mr Chay Wai Chuen (Brickworks GRC): Sir, is the Minister aware that in this area of Commonwealth Crescent, there is a lack of community space in many of these old blocks which are there at the moment?

Dr Lee Boon Yang: Mr Speaker, Sir, although there is an absence of void decks, it does not mean that there is a total absence of communal space for various activities to be held. In fact, I have been informed by HDB that communal gatherings are often held at the turf area between the blocks.