The property world is buzzing this week. URA just released two new CCR sites — Peck Hay Road in Newton and River Valley Green Parcel C — and the analyst reports are already piling up. Expected bids of $1,600 to $1,800 psf per plot ratio. Projected launch prices above $3,000 psf. Six to eight developers competing for each site.
It’s exciting news if you’re a developer or a property watcher. But if you’re a family looking for a home, or an investor trying to figure out where Singapore’s next wave of genuine long-term value is coming from, I’d gently suggest looking somewhere else entirely.
Specifically — Turf City. And specifically — Dunearn House.
The CCR Story Is Real. But You’re Already Late.
Let me be clear: I’m not dismissing Peck Hay Road or River Valley Green. Both are genuinely good sites in genuinely strong locations. The Newton transformation under URA’s 2025 Master Plan is real. River Valley’s track record — River Green and River Modern both sold above 84% at launch at over $3,000 psf — speaks for itself.
But here’s the thing about well-publicised CCR sites with six to eight developer bidders and analyst reports predicting $3,200 to $3,500 psf launch prices: the easy part of the value creation has already happened. By the time a project launches on Peck Hay Road, the transformation story will be fully priced in.
The buyers who did best in the River Valley belt weren’t the ones who bought River Modern at launch last month. They were the ones who understood the precinct’s direction years before the queue formed.
What Most Buyers Don’t Know About Turf City
Here’s what doesn’t get enough attention in the property conversation right now: the Turf City redevelopment is one of the most significant long-term urban transformation projects the Singapore government has committed to.
We’re talking about 167 hectares — one of the largest single redevelopment sites on the island. And unlike some transformation stories that exist mainly on a URA slide deck, Turf City comes with genuine government commitment over the next 10 to 15 years.
What does that mean in practical terms? New infrastructure. New community amenities. New parks and green corridors integrated into an already nature-rich neighbourhood. A precinct that will look dramatically different — and be dramatically more valuable — a decade from now than it does today.
That 10 to 15 year horizon is actually the key insight here. Most buyers and investors think in 3 to 5 year cycles. They want to see the transformation before they buy. But by the time Turf City’s transformation is visible and obvious, Dunearn House will have already appreciated significantly. The window to enter at pre-transformation pricing is now — not later.
The Schools Argument Is Stronger Than People Realise
When families tell me they’re looking at Bukit Timah and the surrounding areas for the schools, I always ask them to look more carefully at exactly what’s within reach of Dunearn House.
This isn’t just “good schools nearby.” This is top-tier primary and secondary schools within genuine proximity — both sides of the education journey covered in one address. For Singaporean families who understand that a good school address isn’t just a lifestyle choice but a long-term property value driver, this matters enormously.
School-driven demand is one of the most durable forces in Singapore real estate. It doesn’t follow market cycles the way investment demand does. Families need to be in the right zone regardless of whether the market is up or down. That steady, non-cyclical demand is exactly what protects property values over the long term.
Compare that to a $3,200 psf CCR unit whose value is heavily tied to expat rental demand and investor sentiment — both of which can and do fluctuate.
Green Living at a Scale CCR Simply Cannot Match
Peck Hay Road is 210 metres from Newton MRT. That’s a genuine convenience. But Newton MRT is not Bukit Timah Nature Reserve.
Dunearn House sits in a neighbourhood where nature isn’t a weekend trip — it’s a daily reality. The Rail Corridor. Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. The green park connectors that wind through one of Singapore’s most established and beloved residential belts. For families with children, for professionals who want to decompress after a long day, for anyone who values the kind of quality of life that money in a dense CCR tower simply cannot buy — Turf City offers something genuinely different.
There’s a reason the Bukit Timah corridor has maintained its prestige for decades while other parts of Singapore have gone through boom and bust cycles. The green, the schools, the landed character of the neighbourhood — these don’t depreciate.
So Which Is the Smarter Move?
That depends entirely on what you’re buying for.
If you want a pure city-centre address and your priority is proximity to Orchard Road, the CBD, and the expat rental market — Peck Hay Road or River Valley Green will serve you well, at a price.
But if you’re a family that wants great schools, genuine green space, and a neighbourhood with real long-term liveability — or an investor who wants to be ahead of a transformation story rather than behind it — then the question isn’t whether CCR is good. The question is whether the premium you’re paying for CCR today is actually justified given what Turf City is about to become. This is why Dunearn House is being placed in many top property agents’ must buy new launches list.
In my view, the 10 to 15 year Turf City transformation is a bigger and longer-lasting value driver than either of the two sites released this week. And right now, most buyers haven’t figured that out yet.
That’s your window.
Want to find out more about Dunearn House and whether it fits your family or investment goals? Get in touch with us today.