James's professional assessment. Not investment advice. Provisional until prices and floor plans are released.
Weighted score out of 100: Schools 15%, Transport 35%, Amenities 20%, Returns 30%. The case is daily convenience, not price growth.
New Launch Review | Yishun | Mixed-use development
If you live in Yishun and still drive to the hawker centre, the supermarket and the bus interchange, Chencharu Central puts all three inside your building, with a walk to Khatib MRT. That is the reason to buy it. The harder question is what it is worth over North Park Residences, which already sits on a bus interchange and a mall at Yishun MRT.
Direct answer
Chencharu Central Residences is an 875-home, 99-year mixed-use development at Chencharu Close, Yishun, by Evia Real Estate, Gamuda Land and Ho Lee Group. A bus interchange, hawker centre and supermarket sit inside it, and Khatib MRT is about 490m away. The developer has not announced a launch date, and prices are not out.
Where it sits
Distances are straight-line from the Chencharu Close site to LTA station locations and nearby amenities, October 2026. Gamuda Land puts the site about 450m from Khatib MRT. Walk it yourself before relying on any figure.
Why you would buy Chencharu Central
Buy Chencharu Central if you want the things you use every day, the bus, the hawker centre and the supermarket, inside the building you live in, in the part of Yishun your family already knows. If you are not going to use those things, you are paying for someone else's convenience.
Daily life without the car
The development is built around a bus interchange, a hawker centre, a supermarket and shops, with a bus-only road, Chencharu Link, running through the estate (Mothership and EdgeProp, June 2024). Khatib MRT is about 490m away. For a family, that means dinner, groceries and the school bus without a drive. For an owner planning ahead to retirement, it means a home that still works on the day you stop driving, which is the day most condo layouts stop working.
You stay in the estate you know
Peiying Primary is about 260m away and Naval Base Secondary about 410m. HomeTeamNS Khatib, Yishun Stadium and the Yishun Sports Hall are all within about 600m, and Lower Seletar Reservoir Park is about 1km south. For a Yishun HDB upgrader, this is a move of a few hundred metres, not a new life across the island.
You get a new building and a full lease
The site was sold in September 2025 with a fresh 99-year lease, under the GFA harmonisation rules, so the floor area you pay for excludes air-con ledges. The nearest comparable, North Park Residences, was completed around 2018 and is already several years into its lease. That difference matters more the longer you plan to stay.
If you plan to sell within five or six years, none of these reasons does much for you. The resale section below explains why.
GFA harmonisation: compare new with new
Chencharu Central's site was sold after the GFA harmonisation rules took effect on 1 June 2023, so its psf compares directly with Parktown Residence and Lentor Gardens Residences. North Park Residences and The Estuary were built under the old rules, and their strata area includes spaces a new project would leave out. I keep them in a separate box and adjust for the difference. My GFA harmonisation guide explains the rule.
Why not Parktown Residence, Lentor Gardens or an EC?
Choose one of the others if your life is centred elsewhere, if you qualify for an EC, or if you want MRT access more than hawker-centre access. Chencharu Central wins only when Yishun and the integrated amenities are the point.
Sources: UOL and CapitaLand (Parktown Residence, February 2025); EdgeProp (Lentor Gardens Residences, July 2026, and Chencharu Close analyst estimates, September 2025); developer briefing (Sembawang Road EC, October 2026).
Why not North Park Residences or The Estuary?
Choose North Park Residences if you want an integrated bus interchange, a mall and the MRT at your door today, at a lower price. Choose The Estuary if you want the lowest entry near Khatib. Choose Chencharu Central if you want a new building and a full lease, and you are prepared to pay a clear premium for them.
Resale comparables, shown separately (pre-harmonisation strata psf)
North Park Residences: completed around 2018, integrated with Northpoint City and the Yishun bus interchange at Yishun MRT, about 1.5km away. Average about $1,859 psf, range $1,667 to $2,039 psf (EdgeProp, last 12 months)
The Estuary: completed 2013, about 660m away. Average about $1,328 psf, range $1,190 to $1,520 psf (EdgeProp, last 12 months)
These are strata psf on pre-harmonisation buildings and do not compare line by line with the cards above. If you allow the 10% to 12% uplift I use for pre-harmonisation floor area, North Park Residences works out to roughly $2,050 to $2,080 psf of liveable space.
The question you are already asking: why not a CCR condo?
Analysts quoted by EdgeProp expect Chencharu Central above $2,300 psf. One Marina Gardens and Aurea launched at roughly 28% above that, so a buyer stretching to this budget will ask whether a little more buys a central address.
| What you compare | Chencharu Central | One Marina Gardens | Aurea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price psf | Not out. Analysts quoted by EdgeProp expect above $2,300 | $2,953 average at launch, April 2025 | $3,005 average at launch, March 2025 |
| Entry price | Not out | $1.163 million for a one-bedroom | From $2,750 psf at preview |
| Who can buy | No income ceiling | No income ceiling | No income ceiling |
| Stamp duty and rules | Seller's stamp duty on early sale. ABSD applies to second homes and foreigners | ABSD applies to second homes and foreigners | ABSD applies to second homes and foreigners |
Sources: EdgeProp (One Marina Gardens launch, April 2025; Aurea launch and preview, February and March 2025); IRAS (ABSD rates from 27 April 2023); developer briefing. Launch-time figures are dated and may differ from today's asking prices.
At $2,300 psf, a 1,000 square foot home costs about $2.3 million. At One Marina Gardens' launch average, the same $2.3 million buys about 780 square feet. That is the real trade: a family-sized home with daily needs downstairs, or a smaller home in the centre.
CCR sales have been uneven, not weak across the board. One Marina Gardens sold 38% on launch weekend and about 46% by May 2025, according to EdgeProp. At the Aurea launch, analysts quoted by EdgeProp called sales encouraging after what they described as mostly lacklustre CCR sales since the April 2023 ABSD change. I would not read that as a verdict on either project.
Choose a CCR condo if you work in the CBD, you do not need three bedrooms, and you will not use a hawker centre or bus interchange. Choose Chencharu Central if your family lives in Yishun, you want to stop driving for daily needs, and you plan to hold for a long time.
What the market isn't telling you
1. Yishun already has an integrated condo, and it trades below every estimate
North Park Residences sits on Northpoint City, the Yishun bus interchange and Yishun MRT. Even adjusted for floor area, it trades at about $2,050 to $2,080 psf. After the land tender, analysts quoted by EdgeProp expected an average above $2,300 psf (September 2025). At $2,350, a buyer would pay roughly 13% to 15% more than North Park for a hawker centre instead of a mall, and a walk to the MRT instead of a station downstairs.
What that premium buys is a new building and roughly a decade more of lease. For an owner-occupier staying 15 years, that can be fair. For a buyer counting on resale in year six, it is a lot to recover.
2. Ask who runs the bus interchange and the hawker centre
A bus interchange and a hawker centre are public facilities with their own operators, operating hours and maintenance standards. Before you sign, ask how they are carved out of the strata scheme, which shared structures, lifts, car parks and M&E systems the residential MCST pays towards, and how those costs are apportioned. My Hougang Central review covers the same questions for another mixed development.
Then ask the practical ones. Which stacks face the interchange, where buses start running before 6am? Where does the hawker centre's exhaust go? Which lift lobbies are shared with the public? These details are fixed in the documents before the first owner moves in, and they decide which units resell easily later.
3. "Limited supply" is not what HDB's plan says
You will hear at the preview that private supply near Khatib MRT is limited. That is true today. HDB's plan for the 70-hectare Chencharu estate is about 10,000 homes by 2040, at least 80% of them public housing (EdgeProp and Mothership, June 2024). HDB's location plan for this site marks several more parcels reserved for future high-rise housing, and Khatib Camp next door is set to make way for new homes (Mothership, July 2025). Chencharu Central is the first private project in the estate, not the last.
For a long-term owner, more neighbours bring more shops and services. For a seller, they bring more competing listings. Plan your exit on that basis.
4. The land price tells you about the obligations, not the market
The consortium bid $980 psf ppr, about 20% above the next bid of $818 from a Frasers-led group (HDB tender results; EdgeProp, September 2025). Analysts quoted by EdgeProp read the premium as a reflection of the site's build requirements, including the hawker centre and bus interchange, rather than a shift in sentiment. Read the land price as the cost of building more than a condo, not as proof that the market will pay more.
Strengths and watch points
- Bus interchange, hawker centre and supermarket inside the development
- Khatib MRT about 490m away
- Peiying Primary about 260m away
- New 99-year lease and harmonised floor area
- Sports, parks and Lower Seletar Reservoir within about 1km
- Analyst estimates sit about 13% to 15% above North Park Residences' adjusted psf
- Public facilities add strata and noise questions
- More private sites planned in Chencharu to 2040
- 875 homes, so similar units will compete at resale
- Price, unit mix and floor plans not released yet
Would you rather
A. A new 950 sq ft three-bedroom at Chencharu Central, about $2.23 million at an illustrative $2,350 psf, with keys after completion.
B. A 1,000 sq ft three-bedroom at North Park Residences today, about $1.86 million at its $1,859 psf average, on top of Yishun MRT and Northpoint City.
James picks A, for an owner-occupier staying 15 years or more, and only if the launch price lands at or below about $2,400 psf. Below that level, the new building and longer lease are worth paying for over that holding period. Above it, B gives you more convenience for less money, and I would buy North Park and keep the difference. Unit sizes here are illustrative until floor plans are released.
What I think you should do
If you live in Yishun and the integrated amenities are the reason you would move, put Chencharu Central on your list and set your ceiling at about $2,400 psf before the preview. Work out your HDB sale proceeds and CPF refund, run a funds gap check, and decide the order in which you sell and buy.
At the preview, ask for the strata plan, the share value schedule and the arrangement for the bus interchange and hawker centre. Pick stacks that do not face the interchange unless the price reflects it. If the launch price comes in well above $2,400 psf, look at North Park Residences resale, or at Lentor Gardens Residences if the TEL matters to you. For CPF and financing, speak to a licensed financial adviser for advice specific to your situation. The wider land pipeline is on my GLS Tracker.
Your next move, before prices are out
Do these three things now, in this order:
- Know your budget. Work out your HDB sale proceeds, CPF refund and loan limit with a funds gap check, and check whether ABSD applies to you.
- Set your ceiling. Decide your maximum psf before any showflat, with North Park Residences at about $2,050 to $2,080 psf of liveable space as your reference.
- Pick your holding period. The case here is daily convenience, not quick price growth. If you plan to sell within five or six years, the resale numbers work against you.
Send me your flat type, income and timing on WhatsApp. I will reply with your sale proceeds, your budget range, and a comparison of Chencharu Central, North Park Residences and Parktown Residence, in writing. No pitch, and no pressure to buy anything. If the numbers say wait, I will tell you.
WhatsApp James your numbersNot ready? Read GLS Tracker first.
Frequently asked questions
Why not buy a CCR condo like One Marina Gardens or Aurea instead?+ Read- Hide
A CCR condo gives a central address, but the same budget buys a much smaller home. One Marina Gardens averaged $2,953 psf at launch and Aurea $3,005 psf, against analyst estimates above $2,300 psf here. Buy Chencharu Central if you live in Yishun, want a family-sized home and will use the hawker centre and bus interchange. Buy in the CCR if you work in the centre and a small home suits you.
Who should not buy Chencharu Central?+ Read- Hide
Anyone who plans to sell within five or six years, who would not use a hawker centre or bus interchange, or who wants a quiet residential estate. Analysts quoted by EdgeProp expect pricing well above North Park Residences, and more private sites are planned in Chencharu, so the resale case needs a long hold.
When will Chencharu Central Residences launch?+ Read- Hide
The developer has not announced a preview or launch date yet. Prices, floor plans and the unit mix have not been released either, so treat any psf figure you see before the price list as an estimate. I will update this page when the developer confirms the timing.
How much will Chencharu Central Residences cost?+ Read- Hide
Prices are not out. After the land tender, analysts quoted by EdgeProp expected an average above $2,300 psf, based on the $980 psf ppr land price. At $2,350 psf, a 950 sq ft three-bedroom would cost about $2.23 million. Compare any price with North Park Residences resale before you commit.
How far is Chencharu Central from Khatib MRT?+ Read- Hide
About 490m in a straight line from the Chencharu Close site to Khatib station on the North-South Line. Gamuda Land puts the site about 450m from the station. Walking routes are longer than straight lines, so time the walk yourself before relying on any figure.
What is inside the Chencharu Central development?+ Read- Hide
About 875 private homes, plus a bus interchange, a hawker centre, a supermarket and shops, with up to about 135,627 sq ft of commercial space (HDB tender details). A bus-only road, Chencharu Link, runs through the estate. The developers are Evia Real Estate, Gamuda Land and Ho Lee Group.
Is Chencharu Central in District 26 or District 27?+ Read- Hide
District 27. The site is at Chencharu Close in Yishun, near Khatib MRT. It is separate from the Lentor projects in District 26, although buyers often compare the two corridors.
What should buyers check in a mixed development like this?+ Read- Hide
Ask how the bus interchange, hawker centre and shops are separated from the residential strata, which shared structures and systems residents pay towards, and how costs are apportioned. Check which stacks face the interchange or hawker exhaust. These details are set before the first MCST meeting and affect running costs and resale.
Sources+ Show all 14- Hide
- HDB, tender results for the mixed-use site at Chencharu Close, September 2025
- EdgeProp and Yahoo News Singapore, Evia-led consortium top bid of $980 psf ppr for Chencharu Close, September 2025
- HDB, location plan for the land parcel at Chencharu, 26 September 2024
- EdgeProp and Mothership, Chencharu housing area to yield 10,000 new homes, June 2024
- Mothership, Khatib Camp to make way for new homes, July 2025
- Gamuda Land, project description for the Chencharu Close development
- EdgeProp, North Park Residences transaction data, accessed October 2026
- EdgeProp, The Estuary transaction data, accessed October 2026
- UOL Group and CapitaLand, Parktown Residence launch weekend release, February 2025
- EdgeProp, Lentor Gardens Residences launch-day sales, July 2026
- LTA, North-South Line station locations, October 2026
- EdgeProp, One Marina Gardens launch and monthly developer sales reports, April and May 2025
- EdgeProp, Aurea at Golden Mile launch and preview reports, February and March 2025
- IRAS, Additional Buyer Stamp Duty rates from 27 April 2023
Disclaimer & Licensing+-
This article is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Property investments involve risk. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Readers should seek independent advice from licensed professionals before making any property or financial decision. James Ong is a licensed real estate salesperson (CEA Reg No. R008385F) with PropNex Realty Pte Ltd and is not a licensed financial adviser.
James Ong | CEA Reg No. R008385F | PropNex Realty Pte Ltd
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