Let me be upfront about something. When I talk to buyers these days, CCR properties barely come up. Most of my clients are focused on OCR and RCR launches — and honestly, I get it. When you can buy a brand new condo in Tengah or Tampines at $1,500 psf, spending $3,000+ psf in the Core Central Region feels like a tough sell.
But here’s the thing about the two sites URA just released — Peck Hay Road in Newton and River Valley Green Parcel C — that I think deserves a second look, especially if you’re an investor thinking five to ten years ahead.
What URA Just Released
On 9 April 2026, URA launched tenders for two residential sites in the CCR:
Peck Hay Road (District 9 — Newton)
- Site area: 0.55 hectares
- Estimated units: 315
- Tenure: 99 years
- Located just 210 metres from Newton MRT Interchange (North-South and Downtown Lines)
- Previously a transitional office site
- Part of URA’s Newton “Urban Village” transformation under the 2025 Master Plan
River Valley Green Parcel C
- Site area: 1.15 hectares
- Estimated units: 470
- The final parcel in the River Valley Green precinct
- Sits near Great World and Havelock MRT stations on the Thomson-East Coast Line
- Previous parcels A and B produced River Green and River Modern, both of which sold above 84–90% at launch at average prices above $3,000 psf
These are not obscure sites. These are genuinely prime pieces of Singapore land in two of the city’s most established residential belts.
Why Most Buyers Are Sitting This Out
I understand the hesitation, and I think it comes down to value perception. When buyers compare a CCR project at $3,200 psf against a well-located RCR project at $2,100 psf, the CCR feels like it’s asking you to pay a big premium for a prestige address. For an own-stay buyer, that’s a legitimate question.
ABSD also plays a role. For Singaporean buyers picking up a second property, the 20% ABSD makes any purchase painful — but it stings even more when the quantum is higher. A $2.5 million CCR unit means $500,000 in stamp duty alone. That’s a number that stops a lot of conversations dead.
So yes — the resistance is real. But I’d argue that for the right buyer, this moment of low local interest in CCR is actually part of what makes these sites interesting.
The Early Mover Argument
Here’s what I keep coming back to. The buyers who did well in the River Valley belt didn’t buy River Green or River Modern at launch. They bought before the transformation story became obvious to everyone.
By the time River Modern launched last month and sold 90% of units on opening weekend at above $3,000 psf, the easy money had already been made by those who understood the precinct’s direction early.
River Valley Green Parcel C is the last site in that precinct. Once it’s developed, there is no more new supply coming. That scarcity is a structural advantage for anyone who buys into the completed project.
For Peck Hay Road, the Newton Urban Village story is still very early. The URA Master Plan 2025 envisions a significant transformation of the Newton-Scotts Road corridor into a mixed-use, walkable urban hub. Right now, most buyers haven’t priced that transformation in — because it hasn’t happened yet. That’s your window.
Who Should Be Looking at This?
Not everyone. Let me be clear about that.
If you’re an HDB upgrader buying your first private property for own stay, OCR and RCR genuinely offer better value for your dollar right now. There’s no shame in that — it’s the mathematically sensible choice for most families.
But if you’re an investor with:
- A longer holding horizon of seven years or more
- The financial capacity to absorb a higher quantum without stretching
- Interest in properties with strong expat rental demand (Newton and River Valley are firmly in Singapore’s expat belt — close to international schools, Orchard Road, and the CBD)
- A view that Singapore’s CCR will continue to attract regional and global wealth
…then these two sites — and the projects that eventually launch on them — deserve a serious look before the broader market catches up.
The Numbers to Watch
Industry analysts expect the Peck Hay Road site to attract bids of around $1,600 to $1,800 psf per plot ratio, which would likely translate to launch prices of $3,200 to $3,500 psf for the finished units. River Valley Green Parcel C is expected to benchmark closely against River Modern’s $3,000+ psf average.
Neither of these is cheap. But for context, comparable freehold or 999-year properties in District 9 and 10 are already trading significantly higher on the resale market. The 99-year leasehold discount on new CCR launches is real — and for investors comfortable with that tenure, it represents a relative entry point.
My Take
The crowd is in OCR and RCR right now. That’s fine — and for many buyers, it’s the right call. But in my experience, the best property decisions are rarely made by following the crowd. They’re made by understanding where things are going before it becomes obvious.
Newton is being transformed. The River Valley precinct has already proven its demand. And right now, while most buyers are looking elsewhere, URA has just released two of the most significant CCR sites in the 1H2026 GLS programme.
Whether or not you act on that is your call. But I’d rather you heard about it now — not after the projects have launched and the queue is around the block.
Interested in understanding whether CCR property makes sense for your investment goals?
Get in touch and let’s have a proper conversation.
