May 2022 BTO: Unit Analysis for Yishun Beacon

Built using the Prefabricated Prefinished Volumetric Construction (PPVC) method, Yishun Beacon has the earliest completion date among the five BTOs launched in May 2022. We dropped by the site to see what’s surrounding it and do a quick analysis of the best units to go for.

BTO	Yishun Beacon
Location	Bounded by Yishun Central 1 and Yishun Ave 2
PLH model?	No
Total no. of units	646
Unit types	2-room Flexi, 4- and 5-room
No. of blocks	5
Highest storeys	14
Estimated completion date	2Q2026
Pricing	2-room Flexi 1: $123k to $144k 2-room Flexi 2: $144k to $184k 4-room: $328k to $418k 5-room: $485k to $595k
Nearest MRT station	• Khatib MRT station (~11-min walk) • Yishun MRT station (~11-min walk)
Primary schools within a 1-km radius*: *distance based on approximation, may differ depending on block	• Ahmad Ibrahim Primary School • Human Primary School • Jiemin Primary School • Naval Base Primary School • Northland Primary School • Peiying Primary School • Xishan Primary School • Yishun Primary School
Amenities within walking distance	• Northpoint City shopping mall (~9-min walk) • Yishun Town Square/Centre (~7-min walk)

Site visit

Site for Yishun Beacon, taken from where Blk 936E will be and looking towards Yishun Central 1.

Along Yishun Ave 2, a very busy arterial road. There are a few stacks that will be located just adjacent to this road. Not only will you be affected by traffic noise and dust pollution, you may also be subjected to noise from the MRT tracks.

Yishun Beacon is located right in the middle of both Khatib and Yishun MRT stations. Both are within walking distance, although it's not exactly a quick or completely sheltered journey all the way.

The site sits next to both the Yishun Community Hospital as well as Khoo Teck Puat Hospital. It's best to avoid stacks facing Yishun Central as that road is heavily used by ambulances rushing into the A&E entrance at the hospital.

Along Yishun Central.

Yishun Central 1. While less busy compared to Yishun Ave 2 and Yishun Central, you do get your fair share of traffic here since it leads into Yishun Town Centre, which has numerous shops and eateries as well as the famous Yishun laksa.

Yishun Town Centre.

Site for Yishun Beacon, taken from where Blk 936A will be and looking towards Yishun Central.

Along Yishun Central 2, where the main bus stops are. Things are relatively less busy here, although you do get quite a bit of foot traffic from the offices and hospitals nearby.

Which unit to choose for Yishun Beacon?

Decent views

Stacks overlooking Yishun Town Garden will enjoy views with a bit of greenery, but you won’t be able to get extensive unblocked views because beyond the garden is Northpoint City and the 13-storey North Park Residences EC, so your views will be blocked by that.

The stacks facing the road, Yishun Central, overlook residential buildings that are between 9 to 13 storeys high, so you won’t get much of a view either, unless you are on the top floor.

Consider the stacks (130, 132, 134 136 and 138) overlooking existing block 935, located across Yishun Central 1. That particular block is 11 storeys high, so units on a higher floor may be able to enjoy relatively uninterrupted unblocked views.

The best stacks with fairly respectable unblocked views are the ones overlooking the Yishun Swimming Complex, Beyond the swimming complex are 12-storey-high residential buildings, so you may wish to get a unit on the top two floors of Yishun Beacon if you want to extend your unblocked views even further.

Unfortunately, only two 4-room unit stacks are facing this direction. These are stacks 146 and 148. As they are also facing the 7-storey car park, get a unit that is above the 7th/8th floor if you want to enjoy unblocked views.

Minimal afternoon sun

The afternoon sun in Singapore comes in two different directions, depending on the time of the year. You’ll want to avoid the stacks that are facing the north-west direction and the south-west direction or ones that won’t get sufficient shielding from a neighbouring block or building.

These are the stacks least likely to get the afternoon sun:

936A: 114, 116, 118, 120 (pick a unit below the 7th floor)

936C: 146 and 148 (pick a unit below the 7th floor)

936D: 162 and 164

936E: 192 and 194 (pick a unit below the 7th floor)

Privacy and quietude

Picking a stack that is not only quiet but also has privacy isn’t the easiest for Yishun Beacon. The relatively compact development has stacks that are all quite close to one another and it also fronts roads on all sides so traffic noise is going to be an issue for those stacks fronting them.

Yishun Central, as mentioned earlier, do get the occasional ambulances (and their accompany sirens) passing through, while Yishun Ave 2 is a busy arterial road that also faces the MRT tracks. If you have to pick a road-facing stack, we would go with the ones fronting Yishun Central 2, which is the quietest of the lot.

For those wanting a unit at a quieter stack, besides looking away from the main roads, opt for those that are away from areas where people tend to congregate. These include playgrounds, fitness corners, pavilions and the car park. When looking for privacy, go with units that are placed at the corners, preferably ones away from the lifts and the rubbish chutes.

Stacks 144 and 178 are the best stacks for privacy and quietude.

Other factors to consider when picking a unit at Yishun Beacon? Whether you would like to be located nearer to Yishun or Khatib MRT stations. This BTO is located in the middle of the two stations. We tried walking to both from the site and have to conclude they are similar in the monotony.

But most will prefer living closer to Yishun station, mainly because of the huge shopping mall beside. Pick a stack at blocks 936A and 936B if you want to have the shortest walking distance to that MRT, Northpoint City and Yishun Town Centre.

For those that travel by bus, the bus stop is located right outside 936B. There are buses there that take you to Changi Airport, Serangoon and Kallang moderately faster than if you were to hop onto the train. So that's something to consider if you work in these areas.