A major Chinese settlement in the early days, Serangoon's inhabited area included the swamps and marshy land around the Serangoon River, along with prominent rubber plantations as well as fruit gardens. After redevelopment plans were put in place by the administrative authorities in the 1960s, Serangoon has developed and prospered into a preferred place for residential property investors.

The pre-existing huddles of private housing apartments co-exist with newly built housing units,especially apartments and flats within the HDB estate. The expansive estate, with 21,482 units spread out over an area of about 7.37 square km, is home to over 75,600 residents, a majority of whom are affluent Singapore citizens.

The area has all the facilities that residential purposes in an area might need, with schools, colleges, entertainment complexes such as shopping malls, cineplexes and healthcare facilities being available in the area. Other avenues of family-oriented entertainment such as the Singapore Crocodile Farm and the Serangoon Stadium are also present within a short distance from the HDB estate. There will also be a new mall in Serangoon Central by the end of 2010.

Commercially, the area around Serangoon New Town is undergoing positive changes with a number of small businesses and pubs centred round the core of the locality. All of these factors have converged in propelling the Serangoon New Town HDB estate into the limelight of the Singaporean property investment market.

Location Specifics

The Serangoon New Town area is enclosed by several districts such as Jalan Besar (District 8), Arab Street (District 7), Lavender (District 12), Kallang (District 12) and Novena (District 11).

The region has also been divided into several sub-zones that include:

• Serangoon North

• Serangoon Central

• Serangoon Garden

• Seletar Hills

Transportation Facilities

Both railways as well as road transport in the region is modern and well equipped to cater to the residents of the area. There are a number of MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) stations that serve the residents of the Serangoon New Town HDB estate, such as the Serangoon MRT station and the Boon Keng MRT (Underground).

The bus services that run through the area are:

• SBS - 315, 317, 22, 45, 53, 195, 107, 107M
• SMRT - 853, 853C, NR6 (night service)

Locals can also hire taxis or private cars to reach their destined location.

Healthcare Facilities

Healthcare facilities are state-of-the-art in the region around the HDB estate, with the Singapore Cancer Society and a major hospital, the Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital being situated within easy accessible distance from the premises of the Serangoon New Town area. There are several polyclinics to take care of miscellaneous health problems of the residents as well.

Educational Institutions

Home to some of the most prestigious educational institutions in Singapore, Serangoon has a variety of primary and secondary schools conveniently located around the Serangoon New Town HDB estate. The Singapore Institute of Commerce is also located nearby, the ideal place for studies related to business and commerce. The most prominent and popular institutes within the region have been provided below:

Primary Schools

• Bendemeer Primary School

• CHIJ Our Lady of Good Counsel

• Farrer Park Primary School

• Gabriel's Primary School

Secondary Schools

• Serangoon Garden Secondary School

• St. Gabriel's Secondary School

• St. Andrew's Secondary School

• Cedar Girls' Secondary School

Tertiary Institutions

• Singapore Institute of Commerce

• ITE College West (Balestier Campus)

• LASALLE College of Arts

• Nanyang Junior College

Facilities/ Amenities

The Serangoon New Town is equipped with a host of modern facilities essential for modern residential estates to be successful in drawing interest in property related investments. Shopping malls, cineplexes, restaurants and eateries, health facilities and other general amenities are all present and are deemed to be of excellent quality in the areas surrounding Serangoon New Town. Here is a comprehensive list of places that are popular among local residents in the area:

Shopping Centres

• Eminent Plaza

• Serangoon Plaza

• Upper Serangoon Shopping Centre

• Serangoon Garden Village

Dine-Out Places

• French Stall

• Bombay Magic Restaurant

• Hoover Rojak

• Chomp Chomp Food Centre

Community Centres and Clubs

• Serangoon Stadium

• Serangoon Gardens Country Club

• Serangoon Swimming Pool Complex

• Singapore Malay Football Club

Places of Worship

• Angullia Mosque

• Cherish Baptist Church

• Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple

• Tiong Ee Kwan Temple

Others

• Balestier Cineplex

• Mandarin Theatre and Plaza Theatre

• Singapore Crocodile Farm

• Moulmein Community Children's Library

From the swampy banks of the Serangoon River in the pre-1960s to the flourishing affluent suburbs of the Serangoon New Town HDB estate, the area has come a long way in terms of residential development and property investments. Today, scores of Singaporeans and even foreign expatriates choose to settle down here.

Did you know...

• Singapore's vibrant Little India is located in the Serangoon area, along Serangoon Road.

• The Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, located in the heart of Little India, has over 120 years of history.