Sim Lian back in the Core Central Region with Amberwood at Holland after 17 years

After a 17-year gap, Sim Lian Group is returning to the Core Central Region (CCR) with the debut of Amberwood at Holland — its first CCR launch since the 129-unit Rochelle at Newton on Keng Lee Road in 2009. Prior to that, the developer launched the 99-unit The Lincoln Residences on Surrey Road in 2008. Both projects are located in District 11.

Its first foray into the CCR was the 165-unit freehold Viz at Holland, launched in 2005, and located in District 10 — where Amberwood at Holland will also be developed. The project is also the first to be launched in the new Holland Plain private residential precinct.

“Amberwood therefore represents a natural return to the CCR for us, but more importantly, it is about having the right site and the right opportunity to deliver a product that responds to the character of the location,” says Kuik Sing Beng, executive director of Sim Lian Group.

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Two sites in a new precinct

Under the URA 2025 Master Plan, Holland Plain comprises eight plots to be sold under the Government Land Sales (GLS) Programme. Huttons Asia estimates the precinct will yield about 2,500 new homes, assuming an average of 310 units per parcel.

Amberwood sits on the first GLS site sold to Sim Lian for $368.37 million, or $1,432 psf per plot ratio (ppr). Sim Lian submitted the top of five bids for the site at the close of the tender in July 2025.

Sim Lian has since secured the neighbouring parcel with a sole bid of $454 million, or $1,491 psf ppr, when that tender closed in May this year. The 169,175 sq ft site can yield about 280 units. URA is scheduled to launch the third Holland Plain site in December.

“Ultimately, having two sites also gives us the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the evolution of this new neighbourhood rather than simply viewing each development in isolation,” says Kuik.

Bidding for two consecutive plots signals Sim Lian’s confidence in the long-term potential of the area, notes Christine Sun, chief researcher and strategist at Realion (OrangeTee & ETC) Group. It also allows the developer to achieve better economies of scale and to build a deeper understanding of buyer preferences there. As prime land is scarce and new launch sites are hard to come by, she expects Holland Plain to draw buyers keen to invest early in a new luxury enclave.

Setting the benchmark

“The first-mover position matters because the project has the opportunity to set a benchmark for the area, in terms of pricing and also the product offering,” says Kelvin Fong, CEO of PropNex.

Read also: Sim Lian’s Rivelle Tampines EC draws over 8,000 visitors during preview weekend

Buyers are entering a new neighbourhood at the earliest stage of its development, he adds, and may benefit as more facilities come up. Mark Yip, CEO of Huttons Asia, points to Lentor Modern, which launched in September 2022 as the first project in the Lentor precinct. He says subsequent launches in Lentor Hills were priced with reference to Lentor Modern.

Seven private condo projects have since been launched in the Lentor Hills estate. Now completed, Lentor Modern continues to enjoy a first-mover pricing advantage, says Tricia Song, CBRE head of research for Singapore and Southeast Asia.

Lentor Modern’s median launch price of $2,103 psf in 2022–2023 has risen to $2,403 psf in 2026 year-to-date. “It means that initial owners made an average of 14% capital gains over the past three to four years,” says Song. “Of these, the larger units such as three-bedroom units made more in percentage terms than the smaller two-bedroom units.”

A low-rise residential pocket in District 10

Holland Plain “presented a rare opportunity” to create a distinctive development within an established District 10 neighbourhood, says Sim Lian’s Kuik. Beyond the address, Sim Lian was drawn to the area’s predominantly low-density, green environment. Amberwood sits amid the Good Class Bungalow (GCB) enclave of Brizay Park, Ewart Park and Garlick Avenue.

On one side of Amberwood is Holland Green Linear Park. Completed in 2022, it connects to the Rail Corridor and will form part of the Bukit Timah-Rochor Green Corridor. On the other side of Amberwood is an upcoming neighbourhood park to be developed by the National Parks Board.

Amberwood will have a side gate opening directly into the neighbourhood park, from where it is about a nine-minute walk to King Albert Park MRT Station. The station serves the Downtown Line and will become an interchange with the Cross Island Line, targeted for completion in 2032. Amberwood itself is targeted for completion in June 2030.

Read also: Sim Lian to preview Rivelle Tampines EC on March 6

The development of Holland Plain could be coordinated with the King Albert Park interchange’s completion, says Yip. “Home prices usually move up upon the completion of an MRT station. Hence, the buyers may potentially reap the benefits in the future when the train station and more amenities are within reach.”

From Holland to Tampines and back

The Kuik family-controlled Sim Lian started out as a construction company in 1976 and expanded into property development in 2001. Since its last CCR launch, the group has shifted much of its residential focus to the Outside Central Region and gained the most prominence in Tampines.

In February 2019, it launched the 2,203-unit Treasure at Tampines, Singapore’s largest private condo, on the site of the former privatised HUDC estate Tampines Court. Despite the pandemic, the project sold out by February 2022, more than a year before completion.

Sim Lian’s earlier 696-unit Waterview at Tampines, launched in 2010, was fully sold by January 2013.

The developer has also been active in the executive condo (EC) market, launching three EC projects in Tampines alone, starting with the 670-unit The Tampines Trilliant in 2012. The 760-unit Aurelle of Tampines sold out within a month of its March 2025 launch, while the 572-unit Rivelle Tampines, launched in March this year, sold out by April.

In the Rest of Central Region, its 846-unit Emerald of Katong in District 15 sold 99% of units during its launch weekend in November 2024. Based on caveats lodged as at Sept 2, just two units remain unsold. The 386-unit The Botany at Dairy Farm, launched in March 2023, has sold out and was completed in 2026.

“We have always taken a diversified and site-led approach to residential development,” says Kuik.

With its recent projects fully sold, and Emerald of Katong nearly sold out, Sim Lian’s focus is now on its upcoming projects at Holland Plain.

Catering to families, owner-occupiers

Amberwood’s 212 units are spread across 11 blocks of four to six storeys, designed by Singapore-based M.A.N Architects, with Ecoplan Asia as the landscape architect.

Featuring a Nordic-inspired design, Amberwood comprises only three-, four-, and five-bedroom units with ceiling heights of 3.18m, plus appliances and fittings from European brands including V-Zug, Liebherr and Villeroy & Boch.

The 74 three-bedroom units range from 872 to 980 sq ft, and the 74 four-bedroom units are from 1,076 to 1,313 sq ft. Meanwhile, the 64 five-bedroom units are sized from 1,335 to 1,572 sq ft. Sim Lian has designated 48 of the larger four- and five-bedroom units as “Luxe”, with private-lift access.

The unit mix was deliberate. “When we looked at the site and its surroundings, we felt it was naturally suited to families and longer-term owner-occupation,” says Kuik. He notes that Amberwood sits within an established landed neighbourhood and within 1km of Methodist Girls’ School. “We wanted the homes themselves to reflect that family-oriented environment.”

Kuik adds that many buyers continue to prioritise efficient layouts and usable living spaces. “However, as they move up the housing ladder, factors such as privacy, quality of finishes, wellness, the surrounding environment and the prestige of the address can become increasingly important.”

Shift in demand for larger units

PropNex’s tracking of expressions of interest for this year’s new launches shows demand for three-bedders is strongest, with interest frequently outstripping supply.

According to Huttons’ Yip, the median size of new homes has been trending upwards, from 73 sq m in 1Q2025 to 87 sq m in 3Q2026. He points to the recent launch of Dunearn House, where 60% of units sold were three- and four-bedroom types.

Fong notes that Amberwood's unit mix is consistent with current demand from families and owner-occupiers.

He expects a broad buyer base, including households right-sizing from nearby landed homes, families drawn by schools, and HDB upgraders from Clementi, Queenstown and surrounding estates.

PropNex notes that flat owners in these mature towns have built up significant equity. Median prices of four-room resale flats in Clementi and Queenstown have risen around 55% and 48% respectively between 2017 and 2026 (to Aug 31), while five-room medians are up about 63% and 53%.

In Queenstown, 178 of the 543 resale flats transacted this year were million-dollar flats, notes Marcus Chu, CEO of ERA Singapore.

According to Chu, landed homeowners within District 10 form another group of potential buyers. Median resale prices of landed homes in the district rose from $6.29 million in 2016 to $9.55 million in the first eight months of 2026, allowing owners to unlock equity while staying in the same district by right-sizing into a condo, he adds.

Estimated launch price

The most recent District 10 project launch was the 666-unit Skye at Holland in October 2025, which sold 658 units, or 99%, over its launch weekend at an average of $2,953 psf and has since sold out. Before that, the 301-unit UpperHouse at Orchard Boulevard sold 53.8% of its units at an average of $3,350 psf during its July 2025 launch weekend; it is now over 82% sold, with transactions averaging around $3,400 psf.

Freehold stock in the Bukit Timah–Holland area is largely older, CBRE’s Song notes. The Cascadia, completed in 2011, saw 16 units transacted to date in 2026 at a median price of $2,392 psf, while Maplewoods, completed in 1997, saw 10 transactions at a median price of $2,210 psf.

The newest freehold comparable, Royalgreen, completed in 2022, saw four resale transactions at a median price of $2,817 psf. All these condos predate the gross floor area harmonisation applied to development applications awarded from June 1, 2023.

“Nowadays, freehold developments do not command too much premium above 99-year leasehold projects, especially if the freehold developments are much older,” says Song.

Closer to the site, supply is thinner still. The Tessarina, completed in 2003, is the only completed condo within 500m of Amberwood, ERA’s Chu notes. Its median resale price has risen 46.5% since 2016, to $2,241 psf based on caveats lodged from January to August this year.

“Given the lack of new residential launches nearby over the past two decades, Amberwood is likely to attract genuine interest from buyers who have been waiting for a new opportunity within this part of District 10,” says Chu.

PropNex puts Amberwood’s likely pricing in the region of $3,000 psf, based on recent CCR launches. “There have been no comparable private residential launches in the immediate Holland Link area for some time,” says Fong.

Huttons’ Yip expects the project’s pricing to be broadly in line with Dunearn House at the new Bukit Timah Turf City precinct in District 11. Its July launch saw 56% of the 380 units sold at an average of $3,140 psf.

Sim Lian’s Kuik sees buyers becoming increasingly selective about CCR projects. “A prime postal code alone is not enough,” he says. “The development must offer a compelling combination of prime location, quality finishes, liveability, and long-term growth potential driven by planned developments, improving infrastructure and connectivity.”

Amberwood is scheduled to preview on Sept 11, with the launch on Sept 26. Meanwhile, Sim Lian intends to roll out its second Holland Plain project in 2Q2027.

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