Residents Raise Concerns Over Long-Vacant Shops at Punggol Northshore Plaza

Northshore Plaza I and II opened in 2021, serving the growing Northshore residential district in Punggol. The mall initially attracted steady footfall as more residents moved into the area. But businesses began attributing slower traffic to the opening of Punggol Coast Mall, which is linked to Punggol Coast MRT Station.

A staff member at a bakery said footfall at Northshore Plaza fell about 30 per cent after Punggol Coast Mall opened in 2025. While anchor tenants like Decathlon and McDonald’s continue to draw visitors, other shops have not fared as well. At least four food and beverage outlets shuttered in the past year, including hotpot chain Haidilao, Qi Ji eatery, Sixth Floor Oyster Cake and Fun Toast.

When ST visited, the unit previously occupied by nail salon Minutiae was still vacant, along with two adjacent units formerly used by a massage establishment. Staff said some units had remained empty for periods lasting several months to more than a year.

In response to queries, the Housing Board said it has adjusted rents in response to feedback from tenants. About 40 tenants that renewed their leases are paying rents about 10 to 30 per cent lower than their original tendered rent. HDB also capped the rental increase for the first year of lease renewal at 10 per cent for tenants facing larger hikes.

Under a staggered rent arrangement, Northshore Plaza tenants paid no rent in the first year, followed by discounted rents in the second and third years. Tenants were meant to pay the full rent in their fourth year upon lease renewal, but HDB said it took into consideration feedback from tenants who were facing difficulties, and adjusted rents to the prevailing market rate determined by independent valuers.

Among those that had their rents reduced was Pinnacle Family Clinic, whose founder said the reduction from its initial tendered rent of S$16,700 a month to S$15,000 was helpful, as the clinic saw a 10 to 20 per cent drop in patients in 2025 after the opening of Punggol Coast Mall.

The challenge facing Northshore Plaza reflects a broader pattern in Singapore’s new towns, where HDB neighbourhood malls can struggle when larger, MRT-linked commercial developments open nearby. Punggol Coast Mall, with its direct connection to the MRT station, has drawn both shoppers and tenants away from the older plaza.

Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, who oversees the Punggol North area in Punggol GRC, said the government will continue to work with HDB to take residents’ feedback into consideration on the tenant mix, to ensure a good variety of shops at Northshore Plaza. More community events will also be organised at the mall’s atrium to help increase footfall.

HDB said it will continue to refine the tenant mix at Northshore Plaza and support shops by holding promotional events. Of the 12 vacant shops, two are undergoing renovation and will start operating soon, while the board is at various stages of securing new tenants for the remaining units. Other tenants’ tendered rents ranged between S$4,000 and S$75,000, according to HDB tender documents.