TLC RATING
80
100
PROS
CONS
8.5
Location
8.5
Amenities
7
Nearby Schools
8
Floor Plan
8
Price
Developer
Hoi Hup and Sunway Development are at it again. Involved in many projects in recent years and contributed to the last 2 sold out ECs, Hundred Palms Residences and Rivercove Residences. Parc Canberra is their latest EC launched and they will also be responsible for the upcoming EC in Tampines, Parc Central Residences, in the 1st quarter of 2021. With the experience in developing ECs in the last few years, they are very experienced in fulfilling what buyers want in terms of floor plans and facilities. All built by Hoi Hup construction arm, Straits Construction.
IN THIS POST
| Parc Canberra | |
| Location | Canberra Link |
| District | 27 |
| Tenure | 99 |
| Expected T.O.P | 9 September 2023 |
| Number of Units | 496 |
Location
We don’t see many ECs that are so close to the MRT station. Often, projects that are close to the MRT stations are private condominiums. The site offers buyers a rare opportunity to own a unit within 300m to Canberra MRT. The station is a newly added one, between Yishun and Sembawang MRT station. As Canberra is a relatively a new developing area, with many built to order (BTO) flats and upcoming developments.
Upcoming developments in the 500 m radius.
Bukit Canberra
This is a mega 12-hectare state of the art sports and community venue for all residents staying in the area. Slated to open in phases in the second half of 2020 and fully operational by end of 2021. It has everything that you can ask for. From a hawker centre, a care centre for seniors, polyclinic, sports hall, activesg gym, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, community plaza, gardens etc. You get it, there will be many activities for you to do.
North south corridor
If you are driving during peak hour, you will experience heavy traffic along the Central Expressway (CTE) almost every day, to alleviate the traffic and also nearby major road like Thomson road, the North South Corridor (NSE) will open in 2026, it is a 21.5 kilometer long expressway that will connect the northern region to the city, residents staying in the north will greatly benefit from this new addition. This integrated transport corridor will feature a bus lane and also a cycling route that will directly connect to the park connector.
Showflat tour
The showflat model shows 10 blocks of residential units. 6 blocks that is made up of 11 storeys and 4 blocks made up of 4 storeys. There are 4 units on one level, only with the exception of block 19 which has 6 units on one level as most units in the block are the smaller 3-bedroom types. The bigger units, 4 and 5 bedrooms are well positioned in the middle of the project, facing the swimming pool. The units are mostly north south facing with the exception of the stacks facing the future EC and road beside. Units there will be affected by the afternoon sun.
As Parc Canberra is surrounded by residential estate, there is not much to see choosing a unit facing outwards. Personally, I would want a unit that faces inwards, to the facilities. At least you will get to enjoy the pool view or the lush landscape. There are 2 entrances for Parc Canberra, one is the side gate that leads you to the bus stop along Canberra link. The other will be the main entrance along Canberra Walk, from there, it will be less than 5 mins walk to Canberra MRT.
Facilities
In Parc Canberra, the highlight is definitely the barn (clubhouse). The developer draws inspiration from an Australian living environment, relaxing and easy going. This can be seen at the heart of Parc Canberra. The red bricks and pitched roof reminiscent of cafés in Australia, with communal spaces such as the function room, kids party room and study room.
The other facilities are quite standard. 50m swimming pool, playground, BBQ pit etc. Compared to the two other neighboring ECs, The Visionaire and Brownstone, Parc Canberra is a much smaller site at about 18,040.6 sqm. Which translates to only 496 units. With lesser units and complete condominium facilitates, residents will have a lot of privacy enjoying the facilities. At one glance, the site plan is very similar to Hundred Palms Residences EC.
All units in Parc Canberra will be provided with smart home features, Yale digital lock, air con control, voice assistant and PT camera. There will be also a complimentary coffee machine by Nespresso. (Definitely a plus for an Australian theme project!).
Unit mix
| Unit Type | Area (sq ft) | Number of units |
| 2-Bedroom + study | 829 | 1 |
| 3-Bedroom (inclusive of penthouse units) | 818 – 1195 | 427 |
| 4-Bedroom Premium (inclusive of penthouse units) | 1152 – 1399 | 57 |
| 5-Bedroom (inclusive of penthouse units) | 1453 – 1722 | 11 |
| Total | 496 | |
In Parc Canberra, unit type starts from 2 to 5 bedroom. 84% of the units come with utility room. For 3 bedrooms, there are 8 different layouts to choose from. Type C1-C3 does not come with utility room. Type C4 does not come with yard. Type C6-C8 are the bigger 3 bedrooms. It is a good choice for the developer to showcase Type C6 as the show unit, it will be a good example to explain the differences.
Parc Canberra 3 Bedroom, 947 sq ft
At 947 sqft, it will be a good size be it for first or second timer. A typical 3-bedroom layout. No much wasted space can be found (Personally I do not prefer the extended balcony to the common room). It is a unit that fits most family’s requirement. Be it a couple with 1 or 2 kids, a family with 1 or 2 kids and a helper.
A long straight enclosed kitchen with yard (where the washing machine is), storage space is available on both sides of the kitchen. For those who uses the kitchen daily will be glad to see this.
We are surprised with the quality of the sanitary wares. Top brands like Hansgrohe and Duravit are used here.
For master bedroom, it is a standard size but you will not be able to fit in a dresser or a small study table.
Parc Canberra 5-bedroom, Type E1
There is only 1 type and 1 stack of 5-bedroom in Parc Canberra. The show unit showcases a penthouse unit that has a ceiling height of 4.5 m in the dining and living area. All penthouse units (top floor) for any room type will enjoy this ceiling height. It is a 1722 sq ft 5-bedroom unit. Typical unit from level 1 to 10 is 1453 sqft. Again, there’s no wasted space in the living and dining area. The dining table will be able to fit up to 8 people. The Living room is wide and long enough to fit in a large sofa.
Kitchen comes with a dry & wet kitchen, with the L-shaped family size kitchen and the extension of yard, WC and utility room make it look very spacious.
Like the 3-bedroom show unit, this smaller common room links to the balcony.
The 5 bedroom is the only room type that comes with a Junior master bedroom.
For the master bedroom, it is very spacious and I like the walk-in wardrobe that comes with ample space for everything.
There is a small balcony in the master bedroom, this stack is facing pool view, you can put a small chair here to enjoy the pool view.
Price comparison
| EC | District | Tenure | Average PSF |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Brownstone | 27 | 99 years | $810 |
| The Visionaire | 27 | 99 years | $811 |
| Rivercove Residences | 19 | 99 years | $965 |
| Piermont Grand | 19 | 99 years | $1080 |
| Parc Canberra | 27 | 99 years | $1085 |
| Ola | 19 | 99 years | $1135 |
Instead of comparing the opposite ECs like The Brownstone and The Visionaire, both were launched in 2015 and 2016 respectively, before the MRT station was ready. Since then, the land price has risen significantly in the last few years. If you are comparing with the existing ECs, Piermont Grand and Ola EC, it is within the same price range. With walking distance to MRT station and future amenities., this is attractive entry price for EC. 64% take up rate in the first weekend of sales is testament to this.
Maintenance Fee
| Bedroom Type | Unit Type | Share Value | Estimated Maintenance Charges per Month (Subject to GST) – SGD |
| 3 Bedroom | C1 – C8 | 6 | $330 |
| 4 & 5 Bedroom | D1, D2 & E1 | 7 | $385 |
EC performance
Out of curiosity, since there are not many ECs in Singapore, I tracked the performance of some ECs over the years after MOP and noticed the correlation between the distance of which an EC is to an MRT station to its potential gain in the future. As most ECs are not walking distance to MRT stations, the nearer and EC is to the MRT station, the higher the gain.
Is it still a first mover advantage?
Parc Canberra is the first residential development after Canberra MRT station is operational. Canberra is still a developing new housing estate. There will be another EC by MCC Land launching next to Parc Canberra. MCC Land bought the land at a higher land price, hence their launch price will naturally be higher than Parc Canberra’s. In the chart, you can see that there will be more government land sales coming up which will all be located further away from the MRT station. There will still be a first mover advantage over the future developments coming up.
Final Words
Among the ECs launched so far, I find that Parc Canberra is reasonably priced with good capital appreciation in future. There is a demand for ECs in the north and only a handful of ECs are within 5 mins walking distance to the MRT in Singapore. With neighboring MCC Land’s EC launching next year (higher land price), you will have the first mover advantage with Parc Canberra. Additionally, amenities like Canberra Plaza and Bukit Canberra will be coming soon. We can foresee that this estate will be more vibrant in future. With also more Government land sales (GLS) coming up which will be further away from the MRT. This will increase prices to another level. Parc Canberra ticks all the boxes. All in all, a good EC to consider investing in.
