‘Monster’ house in Simei upsets some residents
Residents in a Simei housing estate along Jalan Angin Laut are unhappy about a three-storey home currently being built in the area, with many fearing that the huge house may ruin the estate's aesthetic appeal or end up housing foreign workers.
"The building is too huge and takes up almost all the available land," said one resident, who wanted to be known only as Mr. Ho.
While some are annoyed and considering moving out, others have accepted the new development.
"There is nothing we can do if they want to build it. They bought the land and they own the space, so they can do whatever they want with it," another resident said.
The construction of the house, which has been dubbed the "hulking monster", began in August last year and is expected to be completed by August this year.
According to a My Paper report, the house includes an attic, a swimming pool and over 10 rooms, each with an attached bathroom. Currently, it is about two-thirds completed.
Aside from ruining the estate's beauty, residents said the house dwarfs the surrounding houses. It stands at a height of 16.5 m with a length of 40 m, towering over the adjacent one-storey residential unit.
Anthony Ang, its main contractor, said the house costs over S$2 million and complies with all the relevant guidelines. He told My Paper that written permission from the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and approval from the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) were obtained before construction began.
A URA spokesman said approval was given as the proposed development met the URA's "planning guidelines and parameters".
The spokesman added that Jalan Angin Laut is located in a "mixed landed-housing area", meaning that any type of landed residence, such as terraced, detached and semi-detached houses, can be built in the area. He said existing homes may also be redeveloped into other types of housing but are subject to parameters, such as the area of the respective plot.
Mr. Ho said that "a lot of people here are very unhappy. The neighbours can't even see the sky".
He feels the authorities should be more sensitive and consult residents before approving submissions.
J. A. Goh, senior marketing director at ERA Realty Network, said the values of the neighbouring houses will be "pressed down by potential buyers", as the huge house will be a major factor in negotiating lower prices.
He said that potential buyers will not accept offers at the market rate, as they "will say that the surrounding area is blocked and that there is no sunlight".
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