SINGAPORE — After three lease extensions, the two funeral parlours operating at Mount Vernon Columbarium will move out by the end of September to make way for the development of Bidadari housing estate.

A new funeral parlour complex a fraction of the size of the current site – 1.1 hectares, compared to the current 7.1 ha – is expected to be ready in 2024 and will be integrated within the estate, said the National Environment Agency (NEA) and the Housing and Development Board (HDB) in a joint statement on Tuesday (Jan 9).

Construction will begin in the second half of 2021.

The new complex will have 12 funeral wake halls, up from the current eight provided by the existing operators, Singapore Casket Company and Mount Vernon Sanctuary.

This is to meet the "anticipated demand for after-death facilities and services as the population in Singapore ages", said the authorities without providing details on how the future complex would be run.

Both agencies said they would consult the funeral parlour industry on the design concept for the new complex.

HDB flats nearby will be orientated away from the complex, which will be surrounded by greenery to shield it from view and serve as a noise barrier.

Back in 2013, when the Government announced plans for some 10,000 HDB flats and 1,000 private homes at the Bidadari estate, it had said Mount Vernon Columbarium would make way and that a new funeral parlour would be built.

Leases extensions for the two existing operators were first granted in 2014. Singapore Casket Company, which started operations at the current site in 2009 and runs two funeral wake halls, had its lease extended again in Dec 2016 for a year.

Mount Vernon Sanctuary, which began operating in 2010 and owns six halls for wakes, had its lease extended again last March for a year.

Both funeral parlours have been granted a third and final lease extension to end-September. When this expires, the parlours and columbarium blocks will be demolished.

The NEA said that more than 16,000 of the 20,000 niches at the columbarium blocks have been claimed since the registration exercise for relocation of the niches closed on June 30 last year.

Claimed niches will be re-located to Mandai Columbarium, unless claimants opt for niche re-location to Choa Chu Kang Columbarium or other private places.

Niches that are unclaimed will be removed from Mount Vernon Columbarium and, after three years, will have their ashes scattered at sea.

Mount Vernon Columbarium Complex houses Mount Vernon Sanctuary and 20,000 niches in columbarium blocks. TODAY file photo

CURRENT OPERATORS PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE

Mount Vernon Columbarium's closure will impact the two funeral parlour operators differently.

Singapore Casket's chief executive Goh Wee Leng, 52, said her business would not be adversely affected as the company will increase the number of its parlours in Lavender Street from 10 to 12.

Renovation is underway and will be completed by March. The company also has a parlour at Sin Ming Drive, said Ms Goh.

Demand for services has gone up over the years and Singapore Casket's funeral halls are "mostly booked" through the year.

She charges S$350 per day for a funeral hall that can fit about 20 people, while the largest hall – which can occupy over 300 people – costs about S$1,500 a day.

Ms Goh expects Mount Vernon's new funeral parlour complex to be a multi-storey building to cater to increasing demand. Unlike wakes at void decks, funeral parlour halls can be locked up if family members of the deceased want to return home to rest.

When Mount Vernon Sanctuary moves out of the current site, its founder and deputy chairman of Ang Chin Moh group of companies Ang Ziqian said that he will continue to seek new sites for Mount Vernon Sanctuary to operate funeral wake halls.

Mr Ang added that his immediate priority is to send Mount Vernon Sanctuary employees for training so that they can be posted to other roles within the group.

Hoping to lease a space in future at the new funeral parlour complex, Mr Ang said that he will be sad to leave the current site. "The place is tranquil and serene. Our goal has always been to help grieving families. It's not all about revenue," he said.

Mount Vernon Columbarium Complex houses Mount Vernon Sanctuary and 20,000 niches in columbarium blocks. TODAY file photo

IMPACT ON PROPERTY PRICES MINIMAL

Property experts said that the new funeral parlour complex will not hurt property prices in the area.

The complex will sit between Mount Vernon Road and the existing Gurkha Cantonment Complex. Directly across the road from it is the future Bidadari park.

Since Nov 2015, over 6,000 HDB flats have been launched within the Bidadari estate, under projects such as Woodleigh Glen and Alkaff Oasis.

Two HDB projects located diagonally across the road from the new funeral parlour complex are yet to be launched.

International Property Advisor chief executive Ku Swee Yong said their prices are unlikely to be significantly affected as the flats will not face the complex. The complex may also be designed so it does not look like a place offering funeral services, he said.

"There would be buyers who are extremely superstitious, but I think they're just a handful," said Mr Ku.

Executive director of property firm ZACD group Nicholas Mak agreed but said resale prices of flats near the new complex could be affected.

"Yes, the buyers now might not be sensitive, but others in the future could be. So, your selling price might go down," he said.

Location map of the proposed funeral parlour complex. Map: NEA-HDB