Nov 2020 BTO Toa Payoh: Unit Analyses for Bartley Beacon & ParkView @ Bidadari

It has been a while since a BTO was launched at Bidadari. During the Nov 2020 sales launch, there were two: Bartley Beacon and ParkView @ Bidadari. We take a look at both sites and see which units to pick if you managed to get a queue number.

Overview

	Barley Beacon	ParkView @ Bidadari
No. of blocks	8	3
Highest storey	14 to 17	16
Total units	880	358
Available unit types	3-, 4- and 5-room flats	3- and 4-room flats
Estimated completion date	2Q2025	1Q2025

We visited both the sites on a weekday morning. ParkView @ Bidadari was a relatively tranquil area, while Bartley Beacon was a much busier area, as it’s located next to Bartley Road, a major arterial road, where traffic was very heavy. ParkView @ Bidadari will be facing a future polyclinic and is mainly surrounded by other HDB flats, the upcoming Bidadari Park as well as the Mount Vernon Funeral Parlour Complex, slated to finish in 2024. Alkaff Lake also sits right next to it. Bartley Beacon is surrounded by other high-rise condominiums in the area with a school sitting next to it. Here’s a comparison of the traffic situation along Upper Aljunied Road (next to ParkView @ Bidadari) and Bartley Road (next to Bartley Beacon):

Traffic situation along Upper Aljunied Road.

Traffic situation along Bartley Road.

We also did a sound measurement on site. Traffic noise along Upper Aljunied Road hovered around 65 dB, whereas the traffic noise along Bartley Road was consistently above 70 dB. Here are photos of our site visit:

Looking across the site to Bartley Beacon. Maris Stella High is to the right, while Bartley Ridge condominium is to the left.

Site for ParkView @ Bidadari.

Bidadari Park and Alkaff Lake are located towards the back of the image. Both are still undergoing construction.

Amenities-wise, ParkView @ Bidadari is located within a short walking distance to Woodleigh MRT on the North-East line, while Bartley Beacon is closer to Bartley MRT station on the Circle Line. Buses at the existing bus stops outside ParkView @ Bidadari take you to town and to neighbourhoods like Kallang, Bukit Merah, Queenstown, Paya Lebar, Marine Parade and Bedok. Buses at the existing bus stops outside Bartley Beacon are more comprehensive, bringing you to neighbourhoods like Paya Lebar, Bedok, Tampines, Tai Seng, Queenstown, Bukit Merah and Tanjong Rhu. ParkView @ Bidadari will benefit from the amenities at The Woodleigh Residences, a mixed-use development located next to Woodleigh MRT. Scheduled to open in 2022, the condominium and retail property will house Woodleigh Mall. The mall will link up with an underground bus interchange and a hawker centre further north, over at Woodleigh Village BTO, which is still under construction. For Bartley Beacon, the nearest conveniences are located within the site itself. Within the site, a supermarket, retail shops and an eating house will be housed at Blk 221 on the first storey. The second storey will see the construction of a childcare centre. Otherwise, it’s just one MRT stop to Serangoon Nex, a large regional shopping mall with Cold Storage and a Fairprice Xtra.

Considerations when choosing a unit at Bartley Beacon

1. Traffic noise

As mentioned, traffic noise is very heavy along Bartley Road, as that road connects major towns like Bishan and Tampines and other major roads like the Lornie Highway. We spotted quite a number of heavy vehicles passing through, likely because the entire Bidadari estate is still under construction or possibly because that road leads into the part of Tampines where there are a lot of new BTOs and developments still undergoing construction. This road is also one of the entrances into Maris Stella High, so it will likely get busier during peak periods. Avoid these stacks if you don’t want to experience the sounds from the heavy traffic along Bartley Road: 222B: 120, 122, 124 224C: 208, 210, 212, 214

2. School

Stacks facing Maris Stella High will also be subjected to the noise and activities within the school compound, so you might want to take note, especially if you will be at home for the better part of the day. Stacks to steer clear from: 223B: 146, 148, 158 223C: 160, 162, 172 224A: 174, 176, 186 224B: 188, 198, 200 224C: 204, 206, 208, 210

3. High human activity zones

There are a few stacks at Bartley Beacon facing high human activity zones within the BTO. Noise levels are expected to be higher and if you live on the lower levels, people might also be able to look into your home. These include areas like the pavilion, the fitness stations, playgrounds, car park, childcare centre, as well as the eating house, supermarket and retail shops. Avoid these stacks if you value your privacy and peace and quiet: 222A: 102, 104, 106, 108, 110 222B: 114, 116, 118, 120, 130 223A: 132, 134, 140, 142 223C: 164, 166, 168 224A: 178, 180, 182, 184 224B: 190, 192, 194, 196

4. Privacy

Don’t want nosy neighbours looking in while they walk by? Choose these corner stacks for extra privacy and avoid those near the lifts or the rubbish chute areas: 222A: 102, 104, 110, 112 222B: 128 223A: 132, 134, 140, 142 223B: 148, 150, 156, 158 223C: 162, 164, 170, 172 224A: 176, 178, 184, 186 224B: 188, 190, 196, 198 224C: 204

5. Western sun

In Singapore, the hot afternoon sun comes in two directions. The north-west direction from March to September and the south-west direction from September to March. If you’re looking for a cooler unit, avoid stacks that have the main areas of the home facing these two directions. These are the units to pick: 222B: 120, 122, 124 223B: 152 223C: 166 224A: 180 224C: 202, 210, 212 Extra tip: If you are looking for units with relatively unblocked views, the stacks facing outward towards Maris Stella High School and the Gurkha Cantonment will be the ones to pick. Judging from the buildings in those areas, you should get a unit from the 7th floor and above.

Considerations when choosing a unit at ParkView @ Bidadari

1. Park Views

A lot of stacks within ParkView @ Bidadari offer park views, hence the name of the BTO. These are the stacks to consider for a verdant (and unblocked) view: 233A: 103, 105, 107, 109 233B: 119, 121, 123, 129, 131, 133, 135 233C: 139, 141, 143, 145, 147, 149

2. Privacy

No nosy neighbours looking into your flat in these private, corner stacks: 233A: 103, 113, 115 233B: 121, 123, 125, 131 233C: 139, 149

3. Western Sun

As mentioned, you will want to avoid flats facing the hot afternoon sun, which comes in two directions in Singapore: north-west and south-west, depending on the time of the year. These are the coolest units to pick: 233A: 101 233B: 119, 121, 133, 135 233C: 137 Extra tip: Upper Aljunied Road, whilst not as busy as Bartley Road, still sees relatively heavy traffic with buses plying the area. It will likely get busier once the Mount Vernon Funeral Parlour Complex is finished since it is likely you will need to pass this road to get into the entrance of the complex. Avoid stacks 101, 103 and 105 if you don’t want to be disturbed by traffic noise. Extra, extra tip: All the stacks are facing areas with high human activity. Typically, these are areas like the childcare centre, fitness corners, playgrounds, car parks and pavilions. In the case of ParkView @ Bidadari, that will also include Bidadari Park, which it is adjacent to. Alkaff Lake will likely also be a common gathering place for people, while the Heritage Walk will very possibly see a number of people passing through. So do take note of these factors when you’re choosing a stack or what floor you want to go for.