There are also HDB terraces at Queenstown Stirling Road. Stirling Road houses and Jalan Bahagia houses were both built in the times of the SIT (Singapore Improvement Trust) days. So, what essentially are the differences between the HDB terraces in Stirling Road Queenstown and Jalan Bahagia Whampoa?

Above: Terrace houses in Stirling Road

#1 Age and Type

The terraces at Stirling Road were built in the 1960’s. Terraces in Jalan Bahagia / Ma’mor are slightly ‘newer’ – they were built in early 1970’s.

Terrace units in Stirling Road are a mixture of 3 and 4-room ‘flats’. Bahagia and Ma’mor are all 3-room. A difference would therefore be utlities bills since 4-room flats have a higher base charge. Also, 3-room flats get a higher rebate.

#2 Location to City

Both are near the city – however Stirling is nearer and is equipped with good accessibility to the MRT. In Jalan Bahagia, it is more cumbersome to get to the MRTs. The nearest is either Boon Keng or Novena – both are some distance away. Unless there is a Whampoa MRT in the pipeline by the LTA?

#3 Privacy

Unfortunately with good accessibility to the MRT, some of the HDB terraces houses in Stirling are located just next to the MRT track and the main road of about 3 to 4 lanes (see picture on the left). In Bahagia, the ‘main road’ has only 2 lanes and much lesser traffic (see picture on the right). It all depends on how much you value privacy or how much you can tolerate noise.

#4 Extendable Corner Units

If you see the picture on the left, I suppose corner units in Stirling look like their intermediate sisters. They do not have space on the side. In Bahagia, if you’re one of the lucky ones to get a corner unit with a large garden, the space is extendable (see picture on the right).

See of my neighbour’s photo collection of Corner Units in Bahagia.

However, not all is lost. Stirling residents can extend their space frontwards if they have a long front yard!

Another one in the making in Stirling Road.

#5 – Parking Space

Seems like Stirling Residents have multiple open air car parks! While I feel Bahagia and Ma’mor residents have limited convenient, open air parking space.

[...A swing and some flower pots are placed on three season parking lots in front of a block of HDB terrace houses...] Click here to read this interesting Stomp article on parking space in the Stirling estate.

#6 – Density of Houses

The density of houses in Bahagia is much higher than its rival estate. Is that good or bad?

There are lesser blocks in Stirling (15?) and they are well spread out. Bahagia & Ma’mor have 28 blocks and they are densely located. Neighbours often share back to back walls (see aerial view on the right). Cosy and close-knitted or would you rather get a wee bit more distance from your neighbours?

#7 – Amenities

For amenities, I feel both are similar. Stirling road has the swimming pools and stadium. Bahagia is close enough to Toa Payoh Safra. We are all near food centres, NTUCs, Community Centres, Clinics etc.

Know of any other differences in the two estates? If you have a choice, which estate would you live in?

Photo credits of Stirling estate go to Joe and Rose. Photo credits of Bahagia estate go to my neighbour (have taken some of them)

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