Archery, pool halls? Residents, property analysts weigh in after authorities earmark Ulu Pandan site for sports facility

• A piece of land about the size of 1.5 football fields is being planned for redevelopment
• The site at 102 Ulu Pandan Road was previously used as a hostel
• Property analysts said the area is more affluent, so niche offerings such as archery could be considered
• Residents provided a range of suggestions, from laying a running track to building a bowling alley

SINGAPORE — The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) and Sport Singapore (SportSG) on Wednesday (April 7) launched a tender to convert a state property on Ulu Pandan Road into a sports facility.

The almost 11,000-sqm plot — about the size of one-and-a-half football fields — is at 102 Ulu Pandan road, opposite Pandan Valley condominium, and was previously used as a hostel.

The joint tender is the first time that SLA and national sports governing body SportSG are collaborating in this way. Property developers are invited to pitch their ideas alongside their bidding amount in order for their proposals to be assessed.

This “holistic assessment” of the bids means that 60 per cent of the overall score will be based on the quality of the concept and 40 per cent, on the bid price. Parties interested in developing and operating the facilities may access the SLA website for more information.

The sports facility is part of the larger hostel site, which has a land area of more than 44,000 sqm and was last tenanted for hostel use from February 2017 to November last year. SLA has re-parcelled the site such that one is for hostel use and another for sports use, with dedicated road access for each.

While the sport facility site is now open for tender, SLA will launch the tender for the site designated for hostel use later this year.

Responding to queries from TODAY, SLA and SportSG said that the adaptive use of the site as a public sports facility is part of the Sports Facility Master Plan, which “aims to allow residents to experience active living within reach of their homes”. 

If the tender for this pilot site is successful, SLA will explore and partner with SportSG to put up more state land and properties for sports use, the agencies added.

“We are still studying and assessing the suitability of the various sites, and more information will be announced when ready.” 

TODAY spoke to a number of property analysts and residents living near the site to seek their views on what sports facilities would best suit the area.

Property analysts said that as the area consists predominantly of condominiums and landed properties, residents may already have their own sport facilities and thus be looking for more niche offerings such as archery.

Residents largely welcomed the prospect of new sports facilities, with some suggesting that more commercial ventures such as bowling alleys, prawning ponds and pool halls could inject life into an otherwise quiet estate.

WHAT PROPERTY ANALYSTS SAY

Mr Nicholas Mak, head of research and consultancy at ERA Realty, noted that the estate consists of mostly those who are affluent and live in either landed houses or condos.

Thus, they may expect sports facilities that are on par with what is found in country clubs, complete with higher-end food-and-beverage outlets, rather than just a no-frills concept, he said

Many in the area live in condos that already have swimming pools, gyms and tennis courts, he added.

“The sports facility would be well-served if it is in a highly dense residential area that does not have its own sporting facilities, such as HDB (Housing and Development Board) estates.”

He added that niche sports such as archery would be attractive to residents at the Ulu Pandan area, since archery ranges cannot be commonly found nearby.

Agreeing that tennis courts and swimming pools may not serve the residents of the area well, Mr Steven Tan, chief executive officer of realtor Orange Tee and Tie, said that sports venues that are hard to book, such as those for badminton and futsal, may be a better draw.

Even people beyond the estate may use such facilities, he added. “These are sports that people don’t mind driving out there to play.”

He even suggested that “complementary” facilities such as a sports-themed cafe may be set up there, so that hikers and cyclists using the nearby park connectors and nature trails could unwind after their workouts.

“Then at night, the place can be turned into a restaurant, to make full use of it.”

Independent property analyst Ong Kah Seng, who has been in the property field for 17 years, said that given the area is a prime estate, there will be more seniors.

This means that a “sports zone" for elders should be considered within the facility, which would have more first-aid stations, for example.

OTHER SUGGESTIONS  

Residents that TODAY spoke to mostly welcomed the plans for a new sports facility nearby.

Ms Serap Chia, 46, said that her two children, aged 11 and eight, would appreciate having activities such as basketball and football games available at the nearby facility.

These are sports that are not available in her condominium, the housewife said.

Agreeing, Ms Karina Quah, who is in her 40s and works in marketing, said that there is “generally a lack of badminton courts all over” and finds it difficult to book them. Her children, aged 13 and 10, can play the sport only occasionally when they are able to snap up a booking at other sports facilities.

She added that a running track would also be welcomed, because runners have to share the park connectors with cyclists.

Another resident, Mr Julian Rosales, 26, said that he would prefer more recreational facilities such as a bowling alley, prawning pond and pool hall to be built on the site.

“There’s not much entertainment in the area, so maybe this can help inject some life,” the financial adviser said.

There was one resident who told TODAY that she did not welcome the construction of a sports facility.

The resident of 40 years, who wanted to be known only as Jennie, said that she would rather have commercial facilities such as a supermarket and a clinic.

“If there are floodlights, then the lights and the noise will affect the residents,” the 68-year-old retiree said.