BTO analysis for Bishan Towers: Which unit to choose?

Despite its proximity to the entrance of an expressway, Bishan Towers BTO, launched in August 2020, has its merits. In our analysis, we take a look at the site and see what unit you should go for if you balloted for a flat here.

Site overview

We visited the site for Bishan Towers on a weekday morning. Situated at the edge of a residential cluster, the site had low footfall, although traffic was heavy as it is next to a busy road (Braddell Road) that sits at the entrance of an expressway (CTE). We recorded average noise levels of about 70 dB.

Across Kallang River, there is a train depot and a heavy vehicle carpark. We didn’t hear any noise in relation to that during our site visit but these are potentially noise-emitting sites you should be aware of.

We also spotted several leisure cyclists in the area, who were making use of the park connector stretching along the Kallang River. It provides a link from Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park to the Marina Reservoir area.

Amenities wise, the nearest ones are down the road along Bishan Street 11 at Blks 150, 151 and 152. There, you will find a supermarket, a wet market, a couple of coffee shops and other retail options.

Alternatively, cross an overhead bridge and walk for about 10 mins to reach popular hawker centre, Toa Payoh Lor 8 Market and Food Centre.

There is no nearby MRT station. Bishan MRT station will take an estimated 18 to 20 mins to reach by foot. It’s therefore more convenient to use the feeder service.

The nearest bus stops are along Bishan Street 11 and along Braddell Road. The latter is very comprehensive, with buses taking you to areas like Toa Payoh, Serangoon, Paya Lebar, Siglap, Tampines, Telok Blangah, Tai Seng, Orchard, Clementi, and Bedok.

Unit analysis

1. Unblocked views

There are several stacks with unblocked views, which are prized for having better vista as well as breezier interiors. Here are the ones to go for:

Blk 156A (33 storeys tall):

• 104, 106 (Go with a unit above the 21st floor because Blk 156 opposite has about 21 storeys)
• 100, 102 (Go with a unit above 27th floor. The block in front is staggered.)
• 110, 108 (Facing BCA Academy, which isn’t a very tall building—approximately 10 storeys high by our own estimates.)

Blk 156B (staggered block – 25/33 storeys tall):

• 112, 114, 116, 118 (Get a unit above the 4-storey carpark.)
• 128
• 130, 132 (Facing BCA Academy.)

2. Privacy

No more nosy neighbours walking by and peeking into your flat in these stacks:

Blk 156A:

• 100, 102, 104 and 110

Blk 156B:

• 130, 132
• 26th and 27th floors: 112 (these units are along the access to 26-storey roof garden however)
• 28th to 33rd floors: 112 (these floors have no access to the 26-storey roof garden)

3. West Sun

In Singapore, the west sun comes in two directions: north-west and south-west, depending on the time of the year. It’s generally best to avoid units with the main areas of the home facing these two directions if you want a cooler flat when you return in the evening.

These stacks don’t face these two directions. However, because they are facing east, you will likely get the morning sun:

Blk 156A:

• 108 and 110

Blk 156B:

• 130 and 132

4. Other factors to consider:

• Stack 132 is located relatively close to the cycling ramp. You might want to avoid the lower floor units for this stack if you don’t want to be disturbed by cycling traffic.
• Thanks to the position of the carpark, there are no stacks on the site that directly next to Braddell Road. However, the carpark is only four storeys high. So the rest of the floors aren’t buffered by an extra building in front. If you are opting for a higher floor unit on stacks 112, 114, 116 and 118, you are likely to still be subjected to the traffic noise on this arterial road.
• Stacks 100 and 102 are facing the 2-storey structure listed on the map as a site for future amenities. We don’t know what these amenities are, but the area will likely be a high human activity zone.

This article was first published in Renonation.