Yio Chu Kang, or YCK as it is often shortened to, is a subzone of Ang Mo Kio. Roughly bounded by the Seletar Expressway, Central Expressway, Lentor Avenue, Yio Chu Kang Road and Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5, it occupies the northeast corner of Ang Mo Kio. In the early 19th century, much of the northern part of Singapore were owned by one of the several Kang Chu clans, with different members taking control of its individual villages, and subsequently having their name associated with that village. Hence, we are left with not just Yio Chu Kang, but also Lim Chu Kang and Choa Chu Kang. Development was late arriving to YCK, with many of the original kampongs surviving well into the 1980s.
Though there are exceptions, the housing in Yio Chu Kang can be simplified as follows: Public housing is predominately located in the southern and western areas; private condos tend to be in the north and northwest, while the landed enclaves are in the north and northeastern stretches.
Unlike those in neighbouring Bishan, the HDB’s in Yio Chu Kang have the traditional, no-frills design, where less emphasis is given to the aesthetic quality of the estates.
To the north of the main cluster of HDB blocks and occupying the area between Ang Mo Kio-Thye Hua Kwan Hospital and Yio Chu Kang Road is where you will find several condominiums. Many of these were built in the late 1990s to 2010 and as a result share many characteristics. They are large both in terms of their unit sizes and site area.
Seasons Park and Far Horizon Gardens overlook Yio Chu Kang Road and the low-rise properties on the other side that form part of the Lentor neighbourhood. At the junction of Ang Mo Kio Avenue 6 and Yio Chu Kang Road is the imposing Castle Green with its distinctive crenelated design. Like many such condos, Castle Green enjoys an abundance of facilities that residents of smaller properties can only dream of. These include a badminton hall, mini golf range, squash courts and tennis courts.
Next to Castle Green is City Development Ltd’s Nuovo. With its three 18-storey blocks painted a sympathetic sky blue, it is less imposing than many of its competition, but no less striking.
Yio Chu Kang has a large number of landed and low-rise developments. There are many different types, streets and enclaves, and each has its own distinct style which is refreshing. The houses along Cactus Drive have the advantage (or disadvantage, depending on your point of view) of overlooking (or, to be more accurate, being overlooked by) the Amoy Quee Camp. Next door is the spacious Grande Vista which has a 999-year leasehold.
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The most exclusive areas of Yio Chu Kang are just a little further to the east with the streets around Sunrise Drive, and a little to the north around Cactus Crescent. At Sunrise Drive is a cluster of peaceful streets lined with stylish houses that exude an atmosphere of calm and prosperity.
There are newer developments, however, such as the recently completed Cabana on Sunrise Terrace, a cluster house development, and Alana, a terrace house/cluster house development on the same street.
Down the road is Cactus Crescent with yet more elegant landed property. Households in that immediate area now benefit from the Flora Vista mixed development. Besides a convenience store, these have brought a small but handy selection of eateries within walking distance. Next door is Oxley’s Floraville which offers freehold studio units – something of a rarity in landed estates.
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