VACANT AND UNSOLD HUDC BLOCKS 342 AND 343 IN HOUGANG AVENUE 7

Dr Toh Keng Kiat asked the Acting Minister for National Development why HUDC Blocks 342 and 343 in Hougang Avenue 7 were left vacant and unsold for nearly nine years.

Mr Lim Hng Kiang: Mr Speaker, Sir, HDB completed nine blocks of HUDC flats at Hougang Avenue 7 in 1985. However, as the demand then was very poor, only five blocks were sold.

As for the sixth block, only 16 out of 88 units were taken up by May 1989. Since the blocks were vacant for about four years, HDB decided to refurbish the remaining three blocks before offering the flats for sale.

When the seventh block, Block 349, was refurbished and offered for sale in 1989, the take-up rate was also slow. 56 units were sold in 1990. By 1991, there were still four units left unsold. For the remaining two blocks, Blocks 342 and 343, HDB is in the process of studying how best to sell off these units.