Good Class Bungalow (GCB), Where are they located?

How do we define Good Class Bungalow In Singapore?

From URA guidelines, Good Class Bungalow must have a minimum land size of 1400sqM, a plot width of not less than 18.5M with a plot depth of not less than 30M.

The building should not exceed 2 storeys and site coverage to a maximum of 40%.

The allowance set back clearance, the main gate to the building (Front), not less than 7.5 M and the surrounding clearance should not be less than 3M (Side and Rear)

Source - URA

WHERE CAN YOU FIND GOOD CLASS BUNGALOWS IN SINGAPORE?

Good class bungalows are landed properties that are located in preferential residential areas and are owned by the affluent. Land scarcity makes good class bungalows in Singapore for sale more expensive than other residential properties.

Generally, a good class bungalow is a landed property that does not exceed two storeys, has a land area of a minimum of 1,400 square metres, and is within one of the 39 Good Class bungalow areas (GCBA).

Currently, there are only about 2,800 bungalows in this these 39 bungalow neighbourhoods (GCBA).

Stay tuned, as I will share with you where good class bungalows in Singapore are located at!

Good class bungalows GCB in Singapore are exclusively located in these 5 Districts.

District 10, District 11, District 20, District 21 and District 23.

A GUIDE TO THE THE FIVE DISTRICTS WHERE GOOD CLASS BUNGALOWS ARE LOCATED.

39 Gazetted Good Class Bungalow Areas (GCBAs)

District 10 - Good Class Bungalow Areas

In District 10, there are 27 Areas Gazetted for Good Class Bungalows.

Almost 70% of the GCB is located in district 10.

Belmont Park	Bin Tong Park	Brizay Park	Bukit Sedap
Chatsworth Park	Cluny Hill	Cluny Park	Cornwall Garden
Dalvey Estate	Ewart Park	First/Third avenue	Ford Avenue
Fourth/Sixth Avenue	Gallop Road / Woolerton Park	Garlick Avenue	Holland Park
Holland Rise	Leedon Park	Maryland Estate	Nassim Road
Oei Tiong Ham Park	Queen Astrid Park	Rebecca Park	Ridley Park
Ridout Park	Victoria Park	White House Park

District 10 – Bukit Timah, Farrer Road, Holland Village And Tanglin

District 10 is one of Singapore's most affluent and prime residential estates, and is located near entertainment hubs, the orchard road shopping belt, and the CBD.

The GCB in District 10 is surrounded by vast spaces of greenery which include Singapore’s highest hill, horse race tracks, forest reserve, nature reserves and open parks.

Such an environment is unmatched when it comes to investing in property.

Bukit Timah Hill, the highest hill in Singapore at 164 metres, dominates the Bukit Timah Planning Area.

Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is located nearby, which contributes to the expensive value of the land due to the abundance of foliage that beautifies the area more than other parts of Singapore.

Bukit Timah Road which runs from the north to the south of the island is the longest road in Singapore, the 25-km long got its name from the Bukit Timah hill.

In this area, expatriates [ sometime in the second half of 2012, the rules have changed and only Singaporeans are allowed to buy landed homes in Good class bungalows areas (GCBA).] and wealthy Singaporeans are mostly the owners of the GCB as it is very costly to own a landed property in Singapore in this prestigious area.

GCB owners here also enjoy the convenience of the Bukit Timah Expressway. Comprising Bukit Timah, Farrer Road, Holland Village and Tanglin, it is a place that offers both the scenic view of nature and the close convenience of city life.

District 10 also encompasses a considerable number of Singapore’s top institutions/ schools, namely Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road), Singapore Chinese Girls’ School, Hwa Chong Institution, National Junior College, Raffles Girls’ Primary School, Nanyang Primary School, Nanyang Girls’ High School and Saint Joseph’s Institution.

This has made District 10 a top choice for rich Good class bungalow buyers who want to send their children to good schools here.

District 11- Good Class Bungalows

For District 11, 7 areas are gazetted for Good Class Bungalows.

18% of the Good Class Bungalows are located in this area.

Bukit Tunggal	Caldecott Hill Estate	Camden Park	Chee Hoon Avenue
Swiss Club Road	Raffles Park	Eng Neo Avenue

District 11 – Novena, Newton, Thomson

District 11 is another prime district in Singapore.

District 11 comprises many exclusive private housing areas, large reservoirs, renowned schools and religious buildings. It is a place where Singaporeans can enjoy myriad facilities that cater to their everyday needs.

Good class bungalows GCB in the Novena area is extremely sought-after due to their proximity to the Central Business District (CBD).

It has also become an extremely popular area for expatriates seeking quality rental Good class bungalows GCB due to its location and amenities, making it an excellent choice for those wishing to invest in a buy-to-let property.

There are many renowned educational institutions in the vicinity such as Singapore Chinese Girls’ School, Saint Joseph’s Institution and Anglo-Chinese School. There is good local demand from Good class bungalows GCB parents who want to send their children to good schools there.

District 11 is served by the North-South MRT Line at the Novena MRT Station and Newton MRT Station.

Dunearn Road

A Scottish name by origin, Dunearn was named after Dunearn House, the former Oldham Hall Boarding School situated on the road.

The road is covered with tall trees such as Broad Leaf Mahogany, Kenanga, Droopy Cassia, Rhu and Jambu Laut. Located at the junction of Dunearn Road and Gilstead Road is the Home Nursing Foundation erected in 1966 to serve as the Singapore Family Planning Centre. Now, the World Health Organisation utilizes the building.

Built in 1970, the Bougainvillea Park features a variety of Bougainvillea and other types of flowers. Private residential units built over the years line Dunearn Road.

Places of worship in the Dunearn area include Phor Beng See Temple, Kuan Yin San Temple, Gospel Light Christian Church, Bethlehem Bible Presbyterian Church and Barker Road Methodist Church, The Korean Church in Singapore and the Life Bible Presbyterian Church.

The Copthorne Orchid Hotel and Raffles Town Club are a couple of the commercial buildings along Dunearn Road.

Newton

The Newton Planning Area is located in the Central Region of Singapore.

Newton Road is situated within the Novena Planning Area, from the south of Newton Circus to the north of Thomson Road.

Newton is famous for its food centres, such as the Newton Food Centre, which offers delicious mouthwatering local fare.

Although some may feel that the food centre is overly pricey, it is an airy spot and you will be spoilt for choice with its wide variety of food stalls. Recommended dishes include the oyster omelette, popiah, barbequed chicken wings and barbequed seafood.

Novena

A town located in the Central Region, Novena is an urban planning zone under the Urban Redevelopment Authority.

Many of its roads, buildings as well as the MRT Station are named after the Novena Church (or Church of St Alphonsus). Homes in Novena are generally more expensive due to their prime location and amenities.

There are many condominiums like Birmingham Mansions, Thomson Euro-Asia and Lion Towers in Novena. HDB flats are not found here.

Novena houses many amenities such as the Novena Square Shopping Mall, Novena Medical Centre, a sports-themed mall called Velocity and United Square – a kids-oriented mall.

Over the years, Novena has undergone major developments to become one of Singapore's most sophisticated neighbourhoods.

Novena is not short of landmarks, which makes it one of the most distinctive neighbourhoods in Singapore.

Other than the storied Novena Church, with the landmark on Thomson Road, the area has drawn visitors from all over Singapore, thanks to the cluster of shopping malls in the vicinity of Novena MRT station.

Velocity @ Novena Square, formerly known as Novena Square Shopping Mall, was rebranded ten years ago and transformed into a sports-themed mall with an outdoor basketball court by the entrance.

Free workouts are frequently organised on-site, and tenants include the Adidas Factory

Outlet, Reebok Fit Hub, Royal Sporting House and World of Sports.

Just next door is Novena Square 2, dedicated to the more conventional pursuits of shopping and dining. The mall boasts a Korean-themed cluster of tenants for those who’ve been swept up by the Korean craze.

Further down Thomson Road, United Square Shopping Mall is another long-time shopping centre that is now in its current incarnation as a hub for child-and-maternity products and services.

The mall is equipped with a nursing room, reading room and play facilities, in addition to a range of retail shops which include GapKids, Petit Bateau and Toys “R” Us.

For those who wish to escape air-conditioned malls for a more authentic local experience, Balestier Road has a reputation for being home to some of Singapore's oldest and most famous eateries, attracting food-hunters from all over the island.

Firm favourites include revered chicken rice sellers Boon Tong Kee and the inimitable 333 Bak Kut Teh.

Despite the myriad of shopping and dining options in the area, Novena is by no means a concrete jungle.

In fact, due to the abundance of low-density housing, such as chancery lane GCB Good class bungalows, gentle road GCB Good class bungalows, Bukit Tunggal Good class bungalows, all of which are in Bukit Tunggal Good class bungalows areas (GCBA), the area retains a peaceful charm that has been lost in many parts of Singapore, with quiet pockets where residents and visitors can relax.

One such spot is the beautiful Zhongshan Park, with its picnic-worthy grounds, flanked by restaurants and a shopping mall.

The Sun Yat-Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall, just a stone’s throw away, is one of the most important cultural sites in the Balestier Conservation Area, having served as Sun Yat Sen’s base for his revolutionary activities in Southeast Asia.

Looking to the future, Novena has enduring popularity that looks set to grow even further.

Already, the area has improved greatly from the opening of the Downtown Line’s two new MRT stations (Botanic Gardens and Stevens), which have boosted connectivity to the CBD and Bukit Timah.

While Novena has always been very accessible due to its proximity to Orchard Road and the CBD, the area will be even better connected when the Thomson MRT line and its Mount Pleasant station, as well as the interchange at Stevens, are added by 2021.

Another major initiative that will further boost Novena’s attractiveness is the upcoming Health City Novena, an integrated community of healthcare, medical education and translational research providers, slated for completion in 2030.

All public and volunteer healthcare facilities, plus a medical school, will be linked up to form Health City Novena. More facilities and services will be added to the existing ones, such as Tan Tock Seng Hospital, and the built-up area will be more than doubled from 250,000 sq m to 600,0000 sq m.

In the future, there will be a steady pool of good tenant profiles, involved in medical works, in the Novena area and spilling over to Newton.

The GCB Good Class Bungalows owners of Novena have the good fortune of being able to enjoy the best of both worlds – glitzy modernity that manifests in shopping malls band healthcare facilities on the one hand, and the idyllic, nostalgic charm of the Balestier shophouse stretch, two sides of a Singapore that’s caught between the past and the future.

District 20 - Windsor Park GCBA

District 20

District 20 is generally residential in nature, consisting of large-scale, older residential estates in Ang Mo Kio to newer, upmarket residential estates in Bishan and Upper Thomson.

Being easily accessible to the Central Business District (CBD), the prices of the houses here are costly. Nevertheless, many Singaporeans are drawn to live in this area because of its ample amenities and facilities.

The Upper Thomson area consists mostly of private residences and landed housing.

This is where the well-known water catchment areas, Maritchie Reservoir and Pierce Reservoir located.

It's a place where you are able to indulge yourself in Nature and also enjoy the fresh air.

District 21 - Good Class Bungalows Area

For District 21, 3 areas are gazetted for Good Class Bungalows.

Only 7.7% of the Good Class Bungalows are located in this area.

KIBURN ESTATE

KING ALBERT PARK

BINJAI PARK

District 21 – Upper Bukit Timah, Ulu Pandan, Clementi Park

A district where education is the main focus, District 21 comprises Upper Bukit Timah and Clementi.

Besides educational institutions, this district is home to Singapore’s rich foliage, sub-urban shopping centres and an equestrian club.

Upper Bukit Timah

Bukit Timah is located right in the central region of Singapore, a place known for high-end and luxurious condominiums, landed property and Good class bungalows GCB.

For shopping and necessities, head to Bukit Timah Plaza, Beauty World Shopping Centre, Courts Bukit Timah and King Albert Park. One can also find many Good class bungalows in GCB with great greenery views around.

District 23 - Chestnut Avenue

District 23 Good Class Bungalow Area is located in the central-western part of Singapore.

In Chestnut Avenue, you can find the most affordable GCB compared to any other GCBA in Singapore. Most of the GCB here is single storey and good for redeveloped to your own liking.

Summary

There is only 39 gazetted area for Good Class Bungalows Area in Singapore.
The 39 gazetted area is located in five exclusive districts. District 10 (27 Areas), District 11 (7 Areas), District 20 ( 1 Gazetted area), District 21 (3 Areas) and District 23 ( 1 Gazetted Area).
The minimum plot sizes for a GCB should not be less than 1400sqM, with a minimum frontage of 18.5M. The building should not exceed 2 storeys and site coverage to a maximum of 40%.

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