Singapore’s Beauty World neighbourhood is perhaps the most vibrant of all within the Upper Bukit Timah area, offering residents easy access to food, retail and community spaces. The precinct’s close proximity to renowned schools and tertiary institutions such as Methodist Girls’ School, Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary School and Ngee Ann Polytechnic has always been a major draw for families seeking quality education options.

And for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers like me, Beauty World is a top choice to reside in with Bukit Batok Park, Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Rail Corridor and the newly opened Rifle Range Park located within the vicinity. Having lived here for six years, I frequent these nature trails at least once a week and have not grown tired of the lush greenery.

Until 2015, Beauty World is only accessible via private vehicles, taxis and public buses. The opening of the Beauty World MRT Station along Downtown Line significantly improved connectivity and mobility, and has since subsumed into the Thomson-East Coast line, making this township even more desirable.

Interestingly, the district has seen little change since the 1980s. When the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) unveiled the 2019 Master Plan, one of the key strategies include planning livable, inclusive neighbourhoods. Currently, the Bukit Timah Community Club and the popular Bukit Timah Market & Hawker Centre are housed within two buildings in different locations. For enhanced convenience, a new Bukit Timah Community Building will integrate both facilities, providing a range of new amenities such as an indoor sports hall, community library and elder care facility.

Related: Choa Chu Kang Public Library offers a multi-dimensional experience for the community

More housing choices will become available too. Designed by P&T Consultants, The Verdale, a luxurious 99-year leasehold condominium at Jalan Jurong Kechil is finally taking shape. The Linq @ Beauty World, a freehold apartment designed by LAUD Architects replaces the former Goh & Goh Building and is currently under construction. The development will also include a two-storey retail podium at the lower level. 

Come 2028, The Reserve Residences designed by acclaimed architectural firm, WOHA, will occupy the Government Land Sales (GLS) site at Jalan Anak Bukit. Jointly developed by Far East Organization and Sino Group, it is part of Bukit Timah’s first mixed-use integrated development with direct access to Beauty World MRT Station and the upcoming Beauty World Bus Interchange. 

This highly anticipated development touted as the catalyst for Beauty World’s rejuvenation features open, naturally lit and ventilated spaces, infused with textures and lush greenery. The Reserve Residences sits atop the three-storey Bukit V mall boasting over 20,000 square metres of gross floor area with CS Fresh as an anchor tenant and a possible childcare centre. Additionally, approximately 160 serviced apartments are planned within the development.

Another GLS site at Bukit Timah Link, just next door to The Linq, is an upcoming condo developed by Bukit Sembawang Estates. While these new developments and rejuvenation of public spaces help create a more vibrant and inclusive neighbourhood, the value of existing properties will also increase. This is reassuring for property owners, but unfavourable for renters like me. Nevertheless, it’s a dynamic neighbourhood that offers a unique blend of experiences and I intend to stay here for as long as I can.

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