Singapore’s tallest-ever public housing project will soon be coming to Pearl’s Hill, situated next to Outram Park MRT Station. Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat made this announcement in Parliament on 4 March 2026, as part of the Committee of Supply debate, following Budget 2026. While details on the project, such as the exact launch date, were not revealed, we have enough information to know that this Pearl’s Hill BTO will become the next Pinnacle@Duxton.
In addition to the fact that the new Pearl’s Hill BTO will be 10 storeys higher than Pinnacle@Duxton, the shared Outram Park location makes comparisons inevitable. Here’s a side-by-side comparison between the two based on what we do know, and educated guesses:
| Pearl’s Hill BTO | Pinnacle@Duxton | |
| Launch Year | 2026 – 2028 | 2004 |
| Tallest Block | 60 storeys | 50 storeys |
| Number of Units | ~1,700 2-Room Flexi, 3-Room and 4-Room Flats | 1,848 4-Room and 5-Room Flats |
| Nearest MRT Station | Outram Park | Outram Park |
| Minimum Occupation Period | 10 years | 5 years |
| Subsidy Clawback | ~18% to 20% | None |
#1 A New Height Record
Pinnacle@Duxton, with its seven 50-story blocks, has remained the record-holder since its official completion in 2009. However, the Pearl’s Hill BTO will have blocks of varying heights, though at least one will be 60-storeys. According to Minister Chee, these varying heights are inspired by “mountain ridges” in the Chinese painting style Shan Shui Hua.
At 60-storeys, it will also dwarf condominium neighbours One Pearl Bank, which consists of 2 39-storey towers, and The Landmark’s single 39-storey tower.
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The purpose of building taller buildings is in line with efforts to “find ways to build more public housing”, since it intensifies land usage. Mr Chee also said that the experience in Pearl’s Hill will allow HDB to find “more opportunities to build taller flats across Singapore”.
We can therefore expect additional tall HDB projects in the future, but that’s only one aspect of the upcoming Pearl’s Hill BTO.
#2 Central Location
The Pearl’s Hill BTO will be located next to the Outram Park MRT interchange, which serves three MRT lines: the East-West Line, North-East Line, and Thomson-East Coast Line. This is half of the six MRT lines currently operational, making Outram Park one of the most well-connected locations in Singapore.
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Just like Pinnacle@Duxton, the Pearl’s Hill BTO will benefit from its proximity to the Central Business District, Chinatown and Singapore General Hospital. Unlike Pinnacle@Duxton, it is situated next to Pearl’s Hill City Park, one of the few green spaces in the Central Area, and the target of a transformation into a lush, hillside living environment.
Source: HDB
A new mixed-use development will be built on top of the Outram Park MRT station. It will include a planned pedestrian mall that provides easy access from the MRT station to Eu Tong Sen Street and Chinatown.
#3 Design Features
Pinnacle@Duxton was groundbreaking for its incorporation of several unique design features, which changed the perception of public housing when it launched in 2004. Not only was it the tallest public housing project in the world, but it also included two of the world’s longest skybridges linking the seven blocks, an architectural feat.
Based on the initial announcement by Minister Chee, we can expect the upcoming Pearl’s Hill BTO to feature unique design elements, including green and landscaped features such as sky gardens at different levels.
Two notable elements announced are the cascading water features, which will serve to “manage stormwater during heavy downpours”, and a canopy of trees, which will provide shade and flow “seamlessly from the nearby park”.
Once again, these design elements were inspired by the Chinese painting style Shan Shui Hua, which “depicts mountains and flowing water in harmony”, according to HDB.
The Likely Catch – Prime Flats Under The New Flat Classification Framework
While it will not be officially revealed till its launch, it is a given that the upcoming Pearl’s Hill BTO will be classified as Prime. Under the New Flat Classification Framework, this BTO launch will likely come with restrictions, including a 10-year Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) and a high subsidy recovery upon resale.
In fact, one could argue that the new flat classification framework (and its predecessor, the Prime Location Public Housing (PLH) model) was designed specifically with Pearl’s Hill BTO in mind, given how Pinnacle@Duxton turned out.
When launching the PLH model in 2022, HDB acknowledged that existing public housing within the Central Area was “highly sought after” due to its location. The concern then was that these in-demand estates “could become gentrified and only affordable to wealthier households”.
We have seen how this location premium has boosted the resale value of units at Pinnacle@Duxton, where record prices are constantly broken since the end of the MOP in 2015. A 5-room flat sold for a record $1.6 million in August last year, with buyers paying at least $1.43 million for a 5-room flat over the past 12 months. A 4-room flat at Pinnacle@Duxton sold for a record $1.518 million in March last year, with buyers paying at least $1.18 million for a 4-room flat over the past 12 months.
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Longer MOP And Higher Subsidy Recovery
Under the New Flat Classification Framework, Prime flats have a 10-year MOP, twice that of standard BTO flats. They are also not allowed to rent out the whole flat, even after the MOP ends. Furthermore, buyers of Prime flats on the open market must meet the BTO eligibility requirements, especially the prevailing income ceiling, which restricts the resale prices.
Read Also: Standard, Plus & Prime Flats: Guide To Understanding The New Framework For HDB Flats
If the sale prices of Pinnacle@Duxton, One Pearl Bank, and The Landmark are any indicator, the market value for the Pearl’s Hill BTO flats will easily be among the highest. Prime flats are therefore priced with additional subsidies to keep them affordable, but we can expect the subsidy recovery for Pearl’s Hill BTO to be significantly higher than that of Berlayar Residences at the Greater Southern Waterfront. When it launched in October last year, the subsidy recovery was set at a record 14%.
While Minister Chee’s announcement neither confirmed the classification of the Pearl’s Hill BTO nor its subsidy recovery, the consensus is that it will reportedly be Prime with a subsidy recovery of between 18% and 20%.
