Expediting Completion of HDB Developments with Longer Waiting Time

15 Ms Lee Hui Ying asked the Minister for National Development what support measures does HDB take to speed up the completion of those HDB developments that have a longer waiting time, particularly developments which are expected to take more than five years.

The Minister for National Development (Mr Chee Hong Tat): Mr Speaker, to help Singaporeans secure their homes more quickly, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) has introduced measures to reduce the waiting times for new Build-To-Order (BTO) projects. These include prioritising sites that are ready for immediate construction, adopting innovative procurement practices to shorten project duration, and working with authorities and relevant stakeholders to expedite approvals.

Through these efforts, close to 70% of flats launched in 2023 and 2024, as well as those that are launched thus far in 2025, had waiting times of four years or less. HDB has also committed to launch more Shorter Waiting Time flats, with waiting times of less than three years.

The construction time for each BTO project would vary based on the project’s attributes, such as the design complexity, the site conditions, the number of storeys. At each BTO sales launch, HDB would offer multiple housing projects at different locations, with different designs, flat types, prices and waiting times, to suit the varying needs of flat buyers. Because we do have a large group of different flat buyers with diverse needs. This information is made available at project launch so that buyers can make considered decisions when they are applying for their BTO flats.

Sir, HDB will continue to work closely with the project contractors and consultants to expedite construction works as much as possible, while maintaining the safety and well-being of our workers, as well as ensuring project quality of the flats.

Mr Speaker: Ms Lee.

Ms Lee Hui Ying (Nee Soon): Thank you, Mr Speaker. And I thank the Minister for the reply. I just have three supplementary questions. I think most BTO projects do complete on schedule or even before schedule. It is also in the interests of contractors to complete ahead so that they are able to recover and reinvest their capital faster.

So, would the Ministry, perhaps, consider creating an incentive system for contractors, to reward them when they complete projects materially ahead of projections while maintaining quality standards? It could be tax rebates or positive recognitions of their work.

Second, I received feedback from residents that in contrast to the recently newly announced and launched BTO developments which have much shorter waiting times, which is very much welcomed by residents, there are also some BTO developments, also in Yishun, that have a longer waiting time of around five to 10 years. So, some future homeowners now have a delayed life plans – whether it is starting a new family or moving into a new home. So, they are actually having a delayed life plans on that part. So, does HDB actually have measures to support or give recourse to these home buyers?

And third, would the Minister consider allowing more plots of land, especially those that are projected to have longer development periods to start development ahead of the BTO schedule so that then they are able to then have a perceived shorter waiting time of flats for future time buyers? In other words, instead of Build-To-Order, we have Build-Before-Order, so BBO?

Mr Chee Hong Tat: Mr Speaker, I do agree with the Member that where we can we want to try and shorten the waiting times for flat buyers. My guidance to my colleagues in the Ministry of National Development and HDB is to build more and build faster so that we can keep up a robust supply of new HDB flats.

Sir, it is in the interest of contractors to complete projects ahead of schedule if they can because this allows them to recover and reinvest their capital more quickly. It also helps with the re-allocation of resources across projects that the contractors are undertaking. So, HDB will indeed continue to work closely with the agencies and the contractors to expedite the approvals and to support timely project completion.

We bring forward development where feasible to deliver more Shorter Waiting Time flats to Singaporeans. We have increased the supply of such flats from 2,800 last year to 4,690 this year – which exceeded our commitment of 4,500 – and we will continue to build more of such Shorter Waiting Time flats.

However, there are sites with longer development timelines because they may include sites that require more complex preparatory works which then limit how early we can start and we will continue to look at how we can optimise the timelines while ensuring a steady quality supply of homes.

Sir, we also recognise that longer waiting times can affect home buyers including those who are looking to start a family, those who have children. So, to help them, to support them HDB offers Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS) which provides a temporary housing option for eligible families while they wait for their BTO flats.

HDB has been ramping the supply of PPHS flats from 800 in 2021 to about 4,000 by the end of this year. As a result, the application rate has come down significantly and since June 2023, all eligible applicants who are married with a child aged 18 and below, including expectant parents, have been invited to select a PPHS flat.