Richmond Park
Overview & Key Facts
Richmond Park occupies a prime position along Bideford Road in District 9 — a quiet residential slip road tucked between the Orchard Road shopping belt and the Singapore Botanic Gardens corridor. Developed jointly by Tararone Investment Pte Ltd and Topaz Realty Pte Ltd and completed in 1996, the development comprises 159 freehold units across a mid-rise configuration that reflects the more generous spatial standards of its era.
The project predates the modern wave of high-density, amenity-maximised launches that have come to define the CCR. That era produced a different kind of development: fewer units, broader layouts, and a residential atmosphere that newer mega-condos in the same postcode struggle to replicate. Richmond Park sits quietly in that tradition — a mature, established development that has aged gracefully and commands attention primarily from buyers who prize freehold tenure, proximity to Orchard, and the understated prestige of a Bideford Road address.
Transaction records show a predominantly owner-occupier profile skewing toward affluent Singaporean families, permanent residents, and expatriate households drawn to the catchment of ACS (Junior), St. Anthony’s Primary, and the international school cluster nearby. With only 159 units, the development maintains a boutique feel unusual for a D9 address within half a kilometre of two MRT lines.
Location & Connectivity
Richmond Park’s locational thesis is straightforward and almost impossible to fault. Orchard MRT (North-South Line + Thomson-East Coast Line) is 0.52 km away — a roughly eight-minute walk that remains pleasant under the shade of Bideford Road’s established tree canopy. Somerset MRT (North-South Line) is equally accessible at 0.55 km in the other direction. Orchard Boulevard MRT (Thomson-East Coast Line) adds a third option at 0.64 km, giving residents access to three stations and two rail lines within comfortable walking distance. Newton MRT interchange (North-South and Downtown Lines) rounds out the catchment at 1.0 km.
For drivers, Bideford Road connects easily to the Central Expressway (CTE) via Clemenceau Avenue or Newton Road. The CBD is under 15 minutes in off-peak conditions; Changi Airport is reachable in approximately 25 minutes via the PIE. The Orchard Road shopping corridor — ION, Ngee Ann City, Paragon, Takashimaya — is literally a short walk away, eliminating the need for any daily commute to access Singapore’s premier retail and dining precinct.
Everyday conveniences cluster tightly around the development. Cold Storage at Centrepoint is under 500m. Orchard Road food courts, Killiney Road’s coffee shops, and the Newton Food Centre (1.0 km) cover the full spectrum from quick-service to hawker institution. The Singapore Botanic Gardens UNESCO World Heritage Site is reachable in under 15 minutes by foot or a few minutes by car — a genuine lifestyle asset for residents who value accessible green space in the urban core. For families, the Tanglin Club and American Club are within a short drive, as is the Botanic Gardens’ Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden.
Schools & Education
2 primary schools within the 1 km Priority Phase balloting radius.
| School | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| St. Anthony's Primary School | primary | Within 1 km |
| ACS (Junior) | primary | Within 1 km |
| ISS International School (Preston) | international | ~1.1 km |
| ISS International School (Paterson) | international | ~1.1 km |
| Kheng Cheng School | primary | ~1.1 km |
| Chatsworth International School (Orchard) | international | ~1.2 km |
| Anglo-Chinese School (Primary) | primary | ~1.2 km |
| St. Margaret's Primary School | primary | ~1.2 km |
Facilities
Richmond Park was completed in 1996 and its facilities reflect the full-suite expectations of that era’s CCR developments. The 159-unit scale supports a swimming pool, gymnasium, tennis court, and landscaped grounds that feel uncrowded given the limited resident population. Unlike the sprawling mega-developments of the 2010s, Richmond Park’s amenity package was never designed to compete on quantity — but for a sub-200-unit freehold development in the heart of D9, the coverage is appropriate and well-maintained. Residents consistently note that facilities feel personal and accessible rather than resort-scale but perpetually overbooked.
“The pool and gym are never crowded — with only 159 units it’s more like having a private club than a condo. The grounds are mature and well-kept and the management council is very responsive.”
— Resident review via EdgeProp
Prospective buyers evaluating Richmond Park primarily on facilities alone will find it modest by comparison to newer CCR launches such as The Avenir, which offers a larger amenity suite at a smaller plot ratio. The honest framing is that Richmond Park is not a facilities destination — it is a location and tenure destination that happens to have the standard complement of mid-sized condo amenities. Buyers who want a 50-metre lap pool or a sky lounge will need to look elsewhere; buyers who want a quiet pool at 7am in the middle of Orchard belt will be well served.
Unit Sizes & Layout
The unit mix at Richmond Park leans toward larger configurations that were standard for 1996-era CCR developments. Three- and four-bedroom layouts dominate the stack, with floor areas that feel genuinely spacious by contemporary Singapore standards. Where a modern three-bedroom new launch in D9 might price in at 1,100–1,300 sqft, Richmond Park’s equivalents typically run 1,400–1,800 sqft — a meaningful differential for families requiring dedicated study rooms, domestic helper quarters, or separation between living and sleeping zones. The trade-off is that these older layouts sometimes carry structural columns or wet kitchen configurations that require more careful renovation planning.
The development’s orientation along Bideford Road produces two primary stack exposures: units facing toward the road benefit from established tree canopy and garden outlooks at lower floors, while upper-floor units on the preferred orientations command views toward Orchard Road and the Newton corridor. Given the development’s 1996 vintage, prospective buyers should budget for a renovation spend commensurate with their finishing expectations — original fittings are period-appropriate but will likely not match the expectations of buyers accustomed to newer CCR standards.
| Bedrooms | Transactions | Avg PSF | Avg Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 BR | 3 | $2,914 | $3,456,667 |
| 4 BR | 3 | $3,211 | $5,176,667 |
Pricing & Market Position
Based on 6 recorded transactions, sale prices range from $3,000,000 to $5,680,000, averaging $4,316,667 (~$3,290 psf).
Rents range from $3,500 to $10,000 per month across 266 rental transactions. Current rental yield sits at approximately 1.6%.
Price Appreciation
From 2021 to 2026, the average PSF has appreciated by 16.1% (from $2,835 to $3,290 psf).
Neighbourhood Comparison
The three most directly comparable developments each illuminate a different trade-off. The Avenir ($3,190 psf, freehold, 376 units, completed 2023) is the most natural substitute — newer, smaller units at a near-equivalent PSF, with a more modern amenity suite but a Robertson Quay address that lacks Bideford Road’s Orchard adjacency. Buyers who prioritise fresh finishings and larger facilities over school catchment and MRT multi-line access will lean toward The Avenir. River Green ($3,135 psf, 99-year leasehold, 524 units, 2024) and Irwell Hill Residences ($2,726 psf, 99-year leasehold, 540 units, 2020) both offer stronger PSF value propositions in the short-to-medium term, but the leasehold clock matters for a very long hold, and neither matches Richmond Park’s MRT proximity or boutique scale. Stacked Homes’ analysis of Irwell Hill noted strong rental demand but acknowledged the lease caveat for buyers thinking in generational terms.
Richmond Park’s defensible position in this competitive set comes down to the rarity of its combination: freehold title, sub-200-unit scale, Bideford Road address, and three MRT stations within 650m. Each of these attributes is available individually elsewhere in D9 — but finding all four together at below-$4,000 psf is genuinely unusual. The low gross yield (1.62%) is the honest caveat for investors, but for own-stay buyers and those seeking a capital-preservation-oriented CCR hold, the combination remains compelling.
| Development | Tenure | TOP | Units | ~Avg PSF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RICHMOND PARK | Freehold | 1996 | 159 | $3,290 |
| IRWELL HILL RESIDENCES | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2020 | 2021 | 540 | $2,726 |
| RIVER GREEN | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2024 | 2025 | 524 | $3,135 |
| RIVER MODERN | 99 years leasehold | — | — | $3,237 |
| THE AVENIR | Freehold | 2021 | 376 | $3,190 |
| KOPAR AT NEWTON | 99 yrs lease commencing from 2019 | 2021 | 378 | $2,512 |
ShiokNest Scores
Our proprietary scoring system evaluates RICHMOND PARK across multiple dimensions.
What Residents Say
“We’ve lived here for eight years and have no intention of leaving. The Orchard MRT is literally a 10-minute stroll, and Bideford Road itself is so quiet you forget you’re metres from one of Asia’s busiest shopping streets. The size of the units is also something you really appreciate once you’ve lived in newer, smaller apartments.”
— Long-term resident review via PropertyGuru
“Great condo for the address — freehold, D9, walk to MRT. The facilities aren’t the newest but the pool is always clear and you never have to queue for the gym. The renovation will cost you, but the bones of the apartment are excellent.”
— Owner review via EdgeProp
“Fantastic for families with kids at ACS Junior or St. Anthony’s. The school run is effortless and you’re never far from anything. My only gripe is that maintenance fees are not cheap for what you get facilities-wise, but that’s the price of a well-run boutique development in D9.”
— Parent review via 99.co
The pattern across review platforms is consistent: residents are overwhelmingly satisfied with the address and MRT walkability, and the boutique scale is frequently cited as a quality-of-life advantage over larger D9 developments. The main recurring note of caution is the renovation commitment required to bring 1996-era finishings up to contemporary standards — a predictable but manageable cost for buyers who have priced it into their acquisition model. Management quality is consistently rated positively, a genuine differentiator in a market where MCST governance varies significantly.
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Freehold title — no lease decay, generational hold potential
- Three MRT stations within 650m: Orchard (2 lines), Somerset, Orchard Boulevard
- Bideford Road — quiet residential street metres from Orchard belt
- Boutique 159-unit scale: uncrowded pool, gym, and common areas
- St. Anthony's Primary 0.48km, ACS (Junior) 0.61km — top primary school catchment
- Generous 3-4BR unit sizes (1,400-1,800 sqft) vs new CCR launches
- Liquid rental market: 266 rental transactions, avg $6,378/month
- Consistent PSF appreciation trend: $2,835 → $3,290 over 5 years
- Multiple international schools within 1.2km for expatriate families
- Mature landscaping and established residential character
- Gross yield of 1.62% — very low even by CCR freehold standards
- Median entry price $4.75M — significant capital commitment
- Facilities modest for price point (no mega-pool, sky deck, or resort amenities)
- Original 1996 finishings require renovation budget ($100k+ for quality fit-out)
- Only 6 resale transactions in last 12 months — thin secondary market liquidity
- Competing newer freehold CCR launches (The Avenir) offer fresher layouts at similar PSF
- No integrated commercial or F&B within compound
- Limited 159 units means infrequent subsale availability
Verdict
Richmond Park is a rare animal in Singapore’s CCR: a freehold development of under 200 units, within walking distance of two MRT lines, with a Bideford Road address that carries genuine residential prestige. Its $3,290 psf average over the last 12 months sits competitively between the newer freehold The Avenir ($3,190 psf) and the leasehold River Green ($3,135 psf) — a defensible premium for freehold tenure that buyers are demonstrably willing to pay. The headline numbers tell a coherent story: median transaction price of $4.75M for a well-located, uncrowded, freehold development in one of Singapore’s most walk-to-everything postcodes.
The harder question is whether Richmond Park represents value at current pricing. The gross yield of 1.62% is low by any metric — even by CCR freehold standards, where yields are structurally compressed. Rental demand of 266 transactions attests to a liquid market, but at average rent of $6,378/month against a median purchase price of $4.75M, the investment arithmetic is unambiguous: this is an asset you own for capital preservation and lifestyle, not yield. Buyers entering at today’s pricing should model modest long-run capital appreciation against Singapore’s demonstrated track record for prime freehold land, rather than benchmarking against yield-driven metrics.
For the right buyer — Singaporean or expatriate family seeking a D9 freehold address, strong school catchment, genuine walkability to Orchard MRT, and a boutique residential environment — Richmond Park is a compelling long-hold proposition. For investors seeking rental yield or short-to-medium-term capital gain in a liquid sub-market, the more recently completed CCR launches offer sharper entry propositions. The distinction matters: Richmond Park rewards patient, lifestyle-oriented ownership rather than aggressive investment cycling.