COMPETITION was brisk for a 99-year leasehold condominium site in West Coast Crescent, with 12 firms defying signs of a property slowdown to lodge bids.

The bidders included major and mid-sized developers and contractors, with a Hong Kong-linked firm emerging with the highest tender - but only just. Billion Rise, which is linked to the Cheung Kong group, bid $110.44 million for the site - $305 per sq ft (psf) of gross floor area - to pip its nearest rival by 1 per cent.

Tian Hock Properties, which has Far East Organization chief executive Philip Ng as a shareholder, tendered $108.9 million or $301 psf. MCL Land was next with $103.5 million or $286 psf.

The response was strong, in contrast to the weak property market sentiment. One sign of that came on Tuesday when the Government decided not to award a leasehold landed plot in Westwood Avenue in Jurong West as the bids were too low.

Consultants pointed to differences between the two sites. They said the West Coast Crescent site's prime location had sparked the keen interest.

It suits a mass market condo project, which would be able to better weather any sector weakness, said Knight Frank director Nicholas Mak.

The Jurong West landed plot was in a less favourable spot and would have accommodated 99-year leasehold landed homes, which typically do not sell as well, he added.

The West Coast Crescent site can be built up to about 36 storeys. Some high-floor units would enjoy good views of the ocean and West Coast Park as surrounding buildings are mostly low- to medium-rise, he said.

This tender also reflects the current market situation as some bids came in relatively low. Industry sources say a few developers were trying their luck with opportunistic bids.

The lowest bid of $50 million, from Teambuild Construction's Scantech Development, works out to just $138 psf.

Other bidders included Sim Lian Land ($236 psf), Hoi Hup Realty ($235 psf), Frasers Centrepoint ($210 psf) and Allgreen Properties ($186 psf). City Developments' Sunny Vista Developments and TID also put in a bid of $180 psf.

Consultants said the top bid of $305 psf will translate into an estimated break-even price of $680 psf to $720 psf for new condos. Units could be sold at between $750 and $800 psf.

Units at nearby Blue Horizon were sold at about $750 psf in the resale market in January and February, while sub-sales of units in Varsity Park and Clementi Woods were done at $680 psf to $750 psf, according to CBRE Research.

Is this article useful to you?