This is a full version of NEA-HDB’s reply issued to the media agency; published in Lianhe Zaobao, 21 Nov 2022.
Alternative car parks available for visitors to Tanglin Halt Market
We refer to the letter by 黄玉桂 , 请别关掉停车场 (26 October 2022).
2 The Tanglin Halt estate was identified for Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS) in 2014, as part of the Government’s overall efforts to renew older estates and provide better quality homes for residents, while preserving community ties.
3 Under SERS, a new Tanglin Halt Neighbourhood Centre will be built to create a new community node for residents living nearby. The new neighbourhood centre will house a replacement market/hawker centre for the current Tanglin Halt Market & Food Centre located at Block 48A Tanglin Halt Road. The new market and hawker centre will come with more seats, a higher ceiling for better ventilation, and other new amenities to enhance patrons’ dining experience. To make way for the new neighbourhood centre, the Commonwealth Drive Food Centre, together with the shops and eating houses at Blocks 46-1, 46-2, 46-3 Commonwealth Drive, will be demolished. This includes the surface car parks, Q57 and Q58 at Blocks 46-2 and 46-3 Commonwealth Drive respectively.
4 Agencies have received further feedback from the stallholders and the grassroots Advisers Mr Chan Chun Sing and Mr Eric Chua, and have since engaged the stallholders further. In response to their request, we will be staggering the closure of surface carparks Q57 and Q58. While Q57 has been closed, Q58 will remain open until the end of 1Q 2024. In addition, surface carpark Q59, located just next to the Tanglin Halt Market & Food Centre, will remain open as it is not affected by demolition works. Visitors can also park at the other existing car parks located nearby, which are within a five to 10-minute walk. These include two multi-storey car parks at Blk 88 Tanglin Halt Road and Blk 54 Commonwealth Drive that have ample parking lots.
5 To keep motorists informed of the alternative car parks, HDB has put up signages at the lift lobbies of nearby HDB blocks and within the affected car parks. We have also notified residents and shop tenants in the vicinity, as well as season parking holders via circulars.
6 In addition, to help stallholders cope with possible business reduction due to the moving out of residents and shop tenants from the neighbouring blocks under SERS, the National Environment Agency (NEA) has been providing rental reduction of 25% from December 2019 to March 2021 and 50% from April 2021 to March 2024.
7 We understand that the closure of the car park may cause inconvenience, and we seek the public’s understanding on this. HDB and NEA will continue to engage the stallholders, to see how best to assist them.
Marie Lim (Ms) 林佩思
Director (Car Parks) 处长 (停车场管理）
Housing & Development Board 建屋发展局
Chow Mei Ling (Ms) 周美玲
Director (Place Management and Operations Division) 署长 (小贩中心营运署)
Hawker Centres Group 小贩中心司
National Environment Agency 国家环境局