1958 SIT Kallang Airport Estate

The old "SIT's Kallang Airport Estate" is located off Old Airport Road, Dakota Crescent with 15 blocks of low-rise public rental housing flats with 648 dwelling units. Build in 1958 by SIT (Singapore Improvement Trust) at a cost of $3.3 million (or about $5,000 per dwelling unit) on a 4.8 Hectares plot (135 dwelling units per hectare). The estate comprises of one block of two-storey shophouse,  four block of three-storey flats, two blocks of seven-storey slab-flats serviced by a single elevator, eight half-hexagonal seven-storey flats serviced by a single elevator and trademark centrepiece is the Dove playground. Each dwelling unit was rented out in 1958 for $40 per month for 3-room flats and $30 per month for 2-room flats (many had to pay "tea" money to officials to get their allotment). The estate was officially opened on 23 July 1954 by the then Minister for Local Government, Land and Housing - Inche Abdul Hamid Bin Jaji Jumat.

In May 2014, 400 household were told to leave by end 2016 to make way for developments under Mountbatten's estate renewal plans. It was reported that about two-thirds of the households have at least one member aged 60 and above. Those that were booted out, can choose to buy new HDB flats or to continue renting from HDB in one- or two-room flats include those in a new block in nearby Cassia Crescent (to be completed in 2016). For those keen to buy a new flat from HDB, they will provide an additional relocation grant of up to $15,000. Irregardless of buying or renting, all tenants will also get a moving allowance of S$1,000 per household.

Updated On: 20.03.18