For the first time in more than four decades, new public housing flats will be built in the Lakeview and Shunfu area. This alone makes the upcoming Build-to-Order (BTO) launch in June 2026 one of the most talked-about public housing developments in recent years. In a market where most new BTO supply is concentrated in emerging towns or peripheral locations, the return of public housing to Lakeview signals something different: a deliberate effort to bring new homes into a mature, well-connected, and highly sought-after city-fringe estate.

 

According to the Housing and Development Board, around 1,600 homes across three projects will be launched in Lakeview and Shunfu over the coming years, with the first and largest project at Lakeview debuting in the June 2026 sales exercise. For buyers who have long wanted to live near Bishan, Toa Payoh, or Upper Thomson but found resale prices prohibitive, this development represents a rare opportunity to enter the area at subsidised prices.

 

This article explores what we know so far about the Lakeview BTO, why demand is expected to be strong, whether it is likely to be classified as Prime, and how buyers should think about this project from a long-term housing and financing perspective.

 

A Rare Return of Public Housing to Lakeview and Shunfu

Lakeview and Shunfu are not unfamiliar names to long-time residents. They are located within an established residential belt, surrounded by mature estates, private condominiums, landed housing pockets, and well-developed infrastructure. However, the new public housing supply in this area has been extremely limited for decades.

 

The upcoming Lakeview and Shunfu BTO projects mark the first significant reintroduction of new HDB flats into this locality in over 40 years. This is important because locations that have experienced long gaps in new supply tend to accumulate strong “pent-up demand”. Families who grew up in the area, couples who wish to live near parents, and buyers who prefer mature estates often wait years for such opportunities.

 

HDB has also highlighted that these projects are intended to support households seeking to live closer to family members in nearby towns such as Toa Payoh, Bishan, and Ang Mo Kio, enabling better mutual care. This policy intent already hints at a positioning closer to the Plus or Prime end of the classification spectrum, rather than a typical Standard BTO in a new town.

 

What We Know About the First Lakeview BTO Project

The first Lakeview BTO project will launch in June 2026, with construction expected to begin the same year. The site is bounded by Upper Thomson Road and the existing Lakeview Estate condominium, placing it firmly within the Upper Thomson residential corridor rather than on a fringe industrial or undeveloped parcel.

 

The development will comprise about 1,200 flats across five residential blocks. The confirmed unit mix includes approximately 470 two-room Flexi flats, 740 four-room flats, and about 50 public rental flats integrated into two blocks.

 

Block heights are expected to range from 18 to 40 storeys, with a stepped design that gradually transitions towards surrounding low-rise developments. Importantly, HDB has stated that the blocks will be oriented to provide residents with scenic views, including those of the nearby reservoir and surrounding greenery.

 

From a planning standpoint, this suggests that Lakeview is not treated as a “mass production” BTO site. Instead, it is being designed with contextual sensitivity, which is more commonly seen in centrally located or higher-profile projects.

 

Why Location Alone Makes Lakeview Stand Out

When assessing any BTO project, location remains the single most powerful driver of long-term desirability. Lakeview performs strongly on several dimensions that matter deeply to owner-occupiers.

 

First, the project sits near MacRitchie Reservoir, one of Singapore’s most iconic green spaces. This is not simply a neighbourhood park. MacRitchie is a major lifestyle anchor that supports jogging, hiking, kayaking, nature walks, and weekend family activities. Living near a large, established nature reserve provides a daily lifestyle advantage that newer towns cannot easily replicate, regardless of how modern their facilities are.

 

Second, Lakeview is within the Upper Thomson and Marymount area, which many buyers already perceive as a mature, city-fringe location. This means shorter travel times to central Singapore, established commercial nodes, and a wide range of existing amenities. Mature estates also tend to benefit from layered infrastructure built over decades, including clinics, neighbourhood shops, hawker centres, and community facilities.

 

Third, transport connectivity is a major strength. The project is near Marymount MRT Station on the Thomson-East Coast Line, and HDB has indicated that new covered linkways will connect the development to nearby bus stops along Upper Thomson Road. This level of connectivity places Lakeview in the same conversation as other centrally located BTO projects that have historically attracted very strong application rates.

 

Taken together, Lakeview offers a combination that is increasingly rare in new public housing: central accessibility, mature surroundings, and immediate access to nature.

 

Flat Types and Who This Project Is Likely to Attract

The heavy allocation of two-room Flexi and four-room flats reveals a deliberate targeting of two key buyer groups.

 

Two-room Flexi flats appeal strongly to singles and elderly households. In the Lakeview context, singles who work in nearby commercial or industrial clusters, or in central Singapore, may find this location particularly attractive due to shorter commutes and established amenities.

 

Four-room flats are the workhorse of HDB demand. They cater to young families, couples planning to start families, and upgraders from smaller flats. The fact that the majority of the supply is four-room suggests that HDB expects strong family-oriented demand for this project.

 

The other two projects in Lakeview and Shunfu, to be launched over the next two years, will add more three- and four-room flats, reinforcing the area’s family-centric profile.

 

Schools and Family Appeal

While buyers should always verify the actual school distance at the time of launch, the broader Bishan–Toa Payoh–Upper Thomson belt is known for numerous established and popular schools. This has historically been a key reason why resale flats in these areas command strong prices and steady demand.

 

From a behavioural standpoint, family buyers often prioritise locations that give them flexibility across multiple schooling stages. When a BTO project is located in a well-known education belt, it naturally attracts applications from parents who are thinking beyond the first few years of occupation.

 

This “school-driven demand” tends to be persistent and resilient, supporting long-term desirability for owner-occupiers.

 

Will Lakeview Be Classified as Prime?

HDB has not yet confirmed the classification of the Lakeview BTO. However, based on current information and the way recent projects have been categorised, there is a strong case that Lakeview could fall under the Prime category.

 

Several reasons support this view.

 

First, Prime flats are typically located in central or city-fringe areas with strong transport connectivity. Lakeview’s proximity to MRT and major roads fits this profile.

 

Second, Prime flats are often in locations with strong existing amenities and mature surroundings, rather than newly built towns that still require years to develop. Lakeview clearly meets this criterion.

 

Third, HDB tends to apply Prime classification where demand is expected to be structurally high and persistent. Given the rarity of new supply in Lakeview and Shunfu, combined with the area’s appeal to families and singles, demand is very likely to be strong.

 

From our perspective, even if Lakeview is ultimately classified as Plus rather than Prime, buyers should mentally prepare for tighter conditions than those in Standard BTO projects. This includes longer Minimum Occupation Periods and resale restrictions designed to preserve affordability and discourage speculative behaviour.

 

Indicative Pricing and What It Means for Buyers

Analysts have suggested that Lakeview BTO prices could be slightly higher than those of recent Prime launches in mature estates.

 

Two-room Flexi flats may be in the low to mid-hundreds of thousands, while four-room flats could range from the mid-$500,000s to $700,000-plus, depending on floor level and orientation.

 

These price levels are still subsidised relative to resale flats in similar locations, but they are high enough that buyers must take financing seriously from the start.

 

This is where many applicants make a mistake. They focus heavily on ballot opportunities and flat type but only consider loan eligibility later. For projects like Lakeview, the financing plan should come first.

 

Financing Considerations: Why Planning Early Matters

Whether you use an HDB loan or a bank loan, your maximum loan amount is constrained by income, age, existing debts, and regulatory ratios.

 

Financing HDB will focus on both the Mortgage Servicing Ratio (MSR) which caps monthly instalments at 30% of gross income and the Total Debt Servicing Ratio (TDSR), which caps total debt obligations at 55% of income.

 

In practical terms, this means two households with the same income can have very different purchasing power depending on existing car loans, personal loans, credit card balances, or even study loans.

 

For a higher-priced BTO like Lakeview, understanding your true affordability early allows you to:

 

i) Choose the right flat type
ii) Decide between HDB loan and bank loan
iii) Avoid overstretching and future cashflow stress

 

From a mortgage advisory standpoint, this type of project is exactly where professional guidance adds value, because small adjustments in loan structure or bank selection can translate into meaningful differences in long-term cost.

 

Why Lakeview Is a Good Buy Even If It Is Prime

Some buyers instinctively shy away from Prime flats due to longer MOP and resale restrictions. However, this should not be seen as automatically negative.

 

Prime flats are typically Prime for a reason. They are in locations that many Singaporeans want to live in, regardless of market cycles. If your intention is genuine owner-occupation rather than short-term monetisation, a Prime project in a strong location can be an excellent long-term home.

 

Lakeview offers several enduring strengths:

 

i) City-fringe location
ii) Mature estate environment
iii) Proximity to nature
iv) Strong transport connectivity
v) Family-friendly attributes

 

These are not features that go out of fashion.

 

From our professional view, Lakeview fits the profile of a “live-in first, value-later” type of property. Buyers who prioritise quality of life and long-term stability, rather than quick gains, are likely to appreciate what this project offers.

 

How Lakeview Fits Into the Bigger 2026 BTO Picture

About 19,600 BTO flats are expected to be launched in 2026 across three sales exercises. Many will be in towns such as Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Merah, Sembawang, Toa Payoh, Tampines, Woodlands, and Yishun.

 

Within this broader supply, Lakeview stands out as one of the few genuinely city-fringe, nature-adjacent options. That alone is enough to place it among the most anticipated launches of the year.

 

 

Final Thoughts

The upcoming Lakeview BTO is not just another housing launch. It represents a rare chance to secure a new public home in a mature, highly desirable part of Singapore that has seen little new HDB supply for decades.

 

While official details such as classification and final pricing will only be confirmed closer to June 2026, the fundamentals already point towards strong demand and long-term desirability.

 

For buyers who value location, connectivity, greenery, and a mature estate environment, Lakeview is shaping up to be one of the most compelling BTO opportunities in recent years.

 

Reach out to us to do a loan eligibility check (IPA) 

Meantime, do check out the latest rate offered by the banks as well.