RESIDENTS of 20 Housing Board blocks across Singapore have been given fresh hope in tackling a problem over upgrading works designed to provide lift access at every level.

The design of these HDB blocks means some residents still have to take a flight of stairs to gain access to the upgraded lifts.

But residents in Clementi facing this problem have been offered a possible solution by the HDB.

Subject to their approval, they are now set to get new lift landings connected directly to their flats through specially created new entrances to their balconies.

The plan, which also involves the creation of new lift shafts, was revealed to residents in blocks 101 and 103 in Clementi Street 14 earlier this month.

It has been greeted with relief by some who had opposed the earlier proposal for lift upgrading in their blocks.

Under the original proposal, they would have needed to climb a flight of stairs to get to their new lifts even after upgrading work.

Typical lift upgrading work is designed to provide direct lift access on every floor to assist access for residents who are elderly or disabled. The Government, which started the programme in 2001, aims to complete such work on almost every HDB block by 2014.

The unusual design of the two Clementi blocks, however, made this condition difficult to achieve within the Government's budget of $30,000 per benefiting household. Flat owners co-pay a small portion of the bill.

The HDB said last year that 28 blocks islandwide which faced this problem were offered 'half-landing' proposals, and residents in 22 blocks voted to accept them. It added that such upgrading has been completed in eight blocks.

Affected Clementi residents, worried they would be sent to the back of the upgrading queue should they reject the original proposal, wrote a petition to their MP, Mr Christopher de Souza, last year.

He in turn got the HDB to defer upgrading polling to find an alternative to these half-landings.

Commenting on the new lift upgrading proposal, resident David Tham, 55, said: 'I'm happy with it. I think it's a very good solution.'

But some residents, like architect Soh Wee Keong, 37, were concerned it would allow strangers to linger outside their balconies or even peek into them from the new lift landings.

Engineering consultant Tan Chee Hua, 50, lamented it would disrupt the view of the Ulu Pandan river that he gets from his balcony.

When contacted, Mr de Souza said most affected residents he visited recently support the new proposal.

To address concerns of security and privacy, he has asked the HDB to put shading 'fins' at the lift landings to block lift users' views of the balconies without disrupting the airflow there.

He pointed out that the $3,000 each home owner will have to pay for the lift upgrading - 10per cent of the total bill - includes the cost of a new door, door frame and gate as well.

He said: 'We've really done our best to make this as attractive as possible... This really is the best available option.'

A straw poll will be conducted on this balcony plan on Sunday. If there is enough support, formal polling will be conducted in January next year. At least 75 per cent of eligible home owners need to back the upgrading plan for it to proceed.

However, the Clementi residents will not be the first to vote on this special lift upgrading plan.

According to Aljunied GRC MP Cynthia Phua, residents in four blocks of flats in Hougang originally offered half-landings for lift upgrading strongly supported an alternative proposal for lift entrances at their balconies in September.