On Aug 1, GuocoLand and joint venture partner, Hong Leong Holdings, will preview Springleaf Residence, a 941-unit residential development in the tranquil Springleaf precinct.

Set on a 344,700 sq ft, 99-year leasehold site, the project is just a two-minute sheltered walk to Springleaf MRT Station on the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL).

“It’s very similar in nature to Lentor Hills,” says Cheng Hsing Yao, group CEO of GuocoLand. “You have the best of both worlds, a green environment with the MRT at your doorstep.”

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Living in a forest setting

Once part of the Nee Soon Swamp Forest, the new Springleaf precinct will be framed by the Central Catchment Nature Reserve and the Upper Seletar Reservoir to the west, and the Springleaf Nature Park and Lower Seletar Reservoir to the east. When fully developed, the enclave is expected to comprise about 2,000 residential units.

Across Upper Thomson Road, a row of 1960s shophouses — home to eateries like Springleaf Prata Place and Casuarina Curry — gives the area a nostalgic charm.

Behind them lies Springleaf Garden, a landed estate of detached and semi-detached houses built in the 1980s. The last new development in Springleaf Garden is Dalla Vale, a 60-unit strata semi-detached project launched in 2005 and completed in 2008.

“Unlike other parts of Singapore, the entire area is landed housing,” says Dora Chng, residential director at GuocoLand. “Springleaf Residence will be the first large-scale residential project in the enclave.”

First high-rise project in Springleaf

Springleaf Residence comprises five 25-storey towers and a conserved block — the former Upper Thomson Secondary School, built in 1965, the year Singapore became independent. The school’s heritage inspired the development’s theme.

The school will be converted into a low-rise block with 32 apartments. There is also a wing dedicated to community activities, featuring a gym, a study room for remote work or quiet study, and an arts and crafts room that evokes the school curricula of the past.

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Fronting the conserved building is a lawn that resembles a school field, complete with a jogging track. Directly opposite stands the “ECA House,” inspired by schools’ former extra-curricular activities (ECA) — known today as co-curricular activities (CCA) — and featuring a kitchen, multifunction rooms and outdoor dining pavilions.

According to Desmond Sim, group CEO of Realion and CEO of ETC, nostalgic names like ECA House “resonate strongly with Gen Xers.”

Design incorporating biodiversity

Environmental sensitivity guided every stage, from design to construction and property management, when the project is completed. A nature corridor along the boundary of the development allows migratory birds and wildlife safe passage between the forest and the Central Catchment Nature Reserve.

GuocoLand worked with ADDP Architects on the project design, Ortus Design on the landscaping, MAPS Studio on the interiors and public amenities and Studio Lapis on the conservation block. The project also involved biodiversity specialist Camphora and sustainability consultant DP Sustainable Design.

When the project is completed in 2029, Springleaf Residence will be conferred the Building and Construction Authority’s Green Mark Platinum (Super Low Energy) certification with a maintainability badge.

The developer also intends to incorporate educational signage to highlight native plant species across the grounds. About 77% of the site is dedicated to landscaping and facilities, such as four swimming pools (including a 50m lap pool), a tennis court, a half-basketball court and pavilion lounges shaped like “cocoons.”

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Each tower has two sky terraces dedicated to landscaped gardens, barbecue grills and other communal spaces.

“With five towers and one conserved block, much effort has been made to blend the project with the surrounding greenery,” says Realion’s Sim.

Homes with a view

The five blocks are oriented such that units will enjoy unobstructed views, says GuocoLand’s Chng. “Some units will have views of the greenery, others will have reservoir views, and some will have views of the private housing estate,” she adds.

The 32-unit low-rise conserved block will have a mix of one- to three-bedroom units, with sizes from 388 sq ft to 1,259 sq ft. The remaining 909 units will be located across the five towers. These range from two- to five-bedrooms with sizes from 527 to 1,475 sq ft. All units will be fitted with Smeg appliances.

Indicative starting prices for the units start from $878,000 ($2,263 psf) for a one-bedroom; $1.08 million ($2,046 psf) for a two-bedroom; $1.62 million ($2.058 psf) for a three-bedroom; $2.45 million ($1,995 psf) for a four-bedroom, and $3.02 million ($2,077 psf) for a five-bedroom.

The 32 apartments in the low-rise block make up just 3% of the total units. “Their added exclusivity and conservation status make them especially desirable,” says Marcus Chu, CEO of ERA Singapore.

Chu sees Springleaf Residence’s pricing as “highly competitive and appealing”. In 1H2025, new non-landed private homes in District 26 (Mandai and Upper Thomson) sold at a median price of $2,219 psf, according to ERA. “This positions the launch pricing of Springleaf Residence at or below the current level, indicating that its homes could provide excellent value,” he says.

PropNex CEO Kelvin Fong points to new non-landed private residential units in the Outside Central Region (OCR), which have been sold at prices averaging about $2,300 psf, based on caveats lodged from January to July 18. Hence, even units at Springleaf Residence, which are priced from $2,000 psf, look attractive, he says.

Strategic timing

GuocoLand and Hong Leong secured the Springleaf Residence site at Upper Thomson Road (Parcel B) for $779.6 million ($905 psf per plot ratio) in April 2024. They had submitted the sole bid for the site.

The Upper Thomson Road (Parcel A) site was relaunched in June 2025, with the tender closing in October. The site failed to draw any bids when it was launched for sale last year, as it came with the requirement to develop 100 units of long-stay serviced apartments in addition to the residential units and a commercial component on the first level.

The relaunch of the site has removed that requirement. The site has the potential to be developed into a 595-unit residential project with a retail mall on the first level, linked to the Springleaf MRT Station. The project is likely to boost the area’s appeal further. Mark Yip, CEO of Huttons Asia,  expects the site to attract up to three bidders, with the top bid between $900 psf ppr and $950 psf ppr.

Market analysts believe Springleaf Residence benefits from timing and location. Lentor Hills’ six projects launched since September 2022 are almost entirely sold, with 97.4% of 2,954 residential units taken up.

“It signals positive demand and buyer confidence in the northern region of the island,” says Mohan Sandrasegeran, head of research and data analytics at SRI. “Against this backdrop, Springleaf Residence is launching at an opportune time as one of the few upcoming projects in the area with a distinctive conservation and nature-integrated theme.”

Future growth in the north

A major catalyst for this optimism is the TEL. Huttons’ Yip says: “The TEL is one of the best MRT lines in Singapore with eight MRT interchanges connecting to the other six MRT lines, providing easy accessibility to all parts of the island,” he says. “Residents can hop on the TEL and travel to Johor, the CBD and Changi Airport.”

SRI’s Sandrasegeran expects interest in Springleaf Residence to come from families, young couples and even investors who appreciate the long-term growth potential of the precinct.

Besides right-sizers from the neighbouring Springleaf Garden estate, PropNex’s Fong sees interest coming from HDB upgraders from public housing estates in the north and north-east, such as Yishun and Yio Chu Kang.

He also points out that Woodlands Regional Centre, which is envisioned as the largest economic hub in Northern Singapore, is just two MRT stops away on the TEL. The upcoming Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) terminus at Woodlands North Station is just three stops away, notes Fong.

Besides the MRT station, Realion’s Sim sees the future residents at Springleaf Residence benefiting from the completion of the North-South Corridor, as it dovetails with the completion of the project in 2029. “When the North-South Corridor — a network of expressways — is completed and the whole infrastructure is up and running, transportation will be further enhanced in the area,” he adds.

Redefining bespoke living in Springleaf Garden

Jerry Tan, founder of JTResi and a specialist in luxury residential real estate, and his partner of 40 years, Eckardt Caius, have created a sanctuary for themselves in Springleaf Garden.

In December 2020, Tan purchased a freehold semi-detached house on a 3,536 sq ft corner plot for $3.4 million. As the house dated to 1984, he and Caius decided to tear it down and redevelop the property. They spent $2.4 million on construction and an additional $1.1 million on interior fittings. The entire redevelopment took over 20 months.

Caius, a trained designer, oversaw the entire design and construction process to ensure that the house was tailored to their lifestyle needs. The result is a four-level residence spanning 8,000 sq ft.

“Ever since we rented a house here while ours was under construction, we’ve enjoyed living in this neighbourhood,” Tan says. “The Springleaf MRT Station is just a seven-minute walk away, and the Thomson-East Coast Line takes you straight to Orchard Road.”

The home, screened by lush landscaping, overlooks a park. “The foliage offers a welcome reprieve from the heat,” Tan notes. “When I return from the city, it’s at least two degrees cooler here. ”

Caius also relishes the greenery, taking daily walks to Springleaf Nature Park along the Seletar River and sometimes continuing to Lower Pierce Reservoir Park.

Property prices in the area have climbed steadily. In July, a newly completed freehold semi-detached house on Springleaf Avenue sold for $8.5 million ($2,361 psf), a record high for the neighbourhood. Meanwhile, earlier that same month, a strata-titled, freehold semi-detached house at Dalla Vale, also at Springleaf Avenue, changed hands for $3.3 million ($1,012 psf).

Tan remains optimistic about Springleaf’s transformation. “The launch of Springleaf Residence and new facilities nearby will attract more young families to the neighbourhood,” he says.

Besides Springleaf Residence, he believes the upcoming site at Upper Thomson Road (Parcel A) — which will include a commercial component and a direct link to Springleaf MRT Station — will further boost property values. “A mall would complete what is missing in the neighbourhood,” he says.

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