Sentosa Cove death no foul play

SINGAPORE: The dead China national, whose naked body was found in a pool at Sentosa Cove in March, was paid S$800 by a businessman to accompany him at a nightclub and to have sex with him.

At Tuesday morning's Coroner's Inquiry hearing into her death, the police ruled out foul play in the death of Ms Li Hongyan.

The 24 year old's naked body was found floating in a swimming pool in a bungalow at Sentosa Cove on March 24.

Ms Li had followed the bungalow's owner Mr Adrian Chua home after the pair met at a nightclub in Havelock Road.

Mr Chua, who is the chief executive of real investment company RoundHill Capital, had proposed to pay Ms Li S$800 for accompanying him in the nightclub and spending the night with him. 

The pair also downed a few alcoholic drinks that night.

When they got to his home, Ms Li drank a can of beer before the couple had sex.

Mr Chua testified on Tuesday morning that he did not use any physical force on Ms Li during sexual intercourse. 

The 39-year-old then fell asleep at around 3am to 4am and was only awoken by two Sentosa rangers who informed him about the discovery of Ms Li's naked body.

Closed-circuit television camera recordings captured Ms Li, fully clothed, walking alone towards the bungalow's sliding doors leading to the swimming pool at about 3.50am.

Mr Chua's maid, Aye Aye Tun, testified that she locked the sliding doors before she went to sleep the previous night. Ms Aye also found some women's clothes on a chair near the swimming pool before making the grisly find.

No visible injuries was found on Ms Li's body. 

The inquiry heard that those who knew the dead woman had also said she did not seem unhappy that night. 

State Coroner Victor Yeo will deliver his findings later Tuesday.

Upcoming Launch! Spottiswood 18

SPOTTISWOOD 18 - Sheer Elegance! A new star is born. Standing at 36 storeys, it set to be a new landmark at at spottiswoode park, raising the bar of privileged living with 2 sky terrace #14 and #24 overlooking spottiswoode park, its where we truly experience life. Two themed Sky Terraces offer you a world of endless possibilities. From practising yoga to pampering your body and soul. Admiring the city skyline to an evening stroll in the company of lush greenery. Catching up with friends to a workout. There’s so much awaiting you. While you delight in the convenience of living just steps away from your workplace, you enjoy easy access to an infinite wealth of leisure excitements. Chill out with friends at Club Street, indulge in high-end arts performances at the Esplanade. Then game, shop and dine at Marina Bay Sands – Singapore’s latest and biggest world-class entertainment mecca that never sleeps. The Great Life simply never ends. Eminence that glistens never fades with time. This glorious scene did not about overnight. Singapore has come a long way to become the alpha global city it is today, boasting one of the world’s best investment environments, workforces and networks’. Now with an enviable address in the prosperous CBD at Spottiswoode 18, you can lounge back in the comfort of home and enjoy being part of the City’s phenomenal success. The future of of spottiswoode 18 has never been brighter before with the upcoming revamp of the PSA into the next waterfront living and also the Tanjong Pagar Railway station moving to woodlands. A distinctive lifestyle, here to stay the best of both business sand pleasures is yours, here at the CBD. Welcome to Spottiswoode 18

Why must you buy Spottiswoode18?

Highly sought after location in spottiswoode area   Low Quantum from 7xxk only   High capital appreciation (Government aims to develop CBD into 24/7), and upcoming facelift at PSA   Surrounded by large population of expatriates will leads to higher rental demand   Live in vibrant city yet enjoy the convenience and economical of local amenities as food centre, wet markets (Famous Chinatown). You never get to go hungry again.   8 mins walk to outram mrt   Centralize location – near to many amenities, schools and expressways

Specifications

Project: Spottiswoode 18 Developer RL Development Pte Ltd Address: 18 Spottiswoode Park Road S088642 Tenure: Freehold Type of Development: Proposed erection of 36-storey Residential apartment building with Total 251 Residential units, 2 sky terraces Total Units 251 TOP 31 Dec 2015 Legal TOP 31 Dec 2018 Site Area: 43,366sf Carpark Lots 251 Unit Type <><> <> <><> BED Type Total Units Size (sf) 1RM C - 387 1+1 B - 506 2RM A1/A2 - 635 / 657 1RM Dup DP1/DP4 - 710/872 2RM Dup DP2/DP3 - 1076/1098 1RM PH PH1/PH3 2 893/1292 1+1 PH PH2 1 1324 FOR a VIP preview email me at property@ckgroup.sg / sms +65 97938778 with your name / contact / type

PINE GROVE - Enbloc attempt No. 3

SINGAPORE : It could be third time lucky for Pine Grove estate along Ulu Pandan Road.

MediaCorp understands that the condominium's third attempt at an en bloc sale received the necessary 80 per cent majority approval last Saturday.

According to residents, the reserve price is set at S$1.7 billion, setting the stage for Pine Grove to become Singapore's largest residential collective sale, beating the 2007 record for Farrer Court.

"It's a good time to sell because the estate is getting old, and it will be expensive to upgrade the old lifts, sewerage pipes and wiring in future," said a resident, who declined to be named.

The next stage of the en bloc attempt is the preparation of tender documents, but the votes have to be first audited by the appointed law firm Lee & Lee.

There is also a "cooling off" period where residents who had signed can withdraw their consent to sell within a week.

MediaCorp understands that Jones Lang LaSalle, which is the marketing agent, is unlikely to launch a sale this year, and will likely wait for more favourable market conditions.

"Since 2008, most en bloc sales have been less than S$100 million," said Nicholas Mak, Executive Director of Research and Consultancy, SLP International. "This shows that developers are now more cautious and the risk appetite is not so high."

Analysts believe that potential buyers are likely to take a consortium or joint-venture route so as to spread the risk.

A collective sale also faces challenges from a successful Government Land Sales programme.

"Developers sometimes prefer the straight forward government sale of sites," said Donald Han, vice chairman, Cushman & Wakefield, Singapore. "The collective sale process on the other hand can become protracted."

Signatures for the sale have been collected from Pine Grove owners over various sessions since 15 November 2009.

The reserve price of S$1.7 billion could work out to between S$2.1 million and S$2.75 million per unit, depending on the size of the apartment and the development charge.

There are 660 units at the former HUDC estate, which covers over 893,000 square feet of land area.

The current record for an en bloc sale is held by Farrer Court, located along Farrer Road, also a former HUDC estate. It was sold in 2007 for S$1.34 billion, and had a development charge of about S$500 million.

Observers said Pine Grove could attract a similar development charge.

- CNA/al

Spottiswoode Residences! Launching end October!

Seaview/Cityview
35 storeys

Development Name:	Spottiswoode Residences
Property Type:	Condominium
Developer:	UOL

Spottiswoode Residences is a freehold condo development located at District 2 near Outram Park MRT Station. Completing in 2014, it is located in the vicinity of landmarks like Nei Xue Tang and Chinatown

Spottiswoode Residences is located just a short walk away from shopping centres like Tanjong Pagar Plaza and Tanjong Pagar Market & Food Centre where a host of amenities are readily available, such as supermarkets, restaurants and food courts, banks, and entertainment facilities.

Educational institutions located nearby include Marketing Institute of Singapore and CHIJ Kellock. As for nearby recreational facilities, Fairway Country Club is within walking distance.

For vehicle owners, Spottiswoode Residences is just 10 minutes from Orchard Road and the Central Business District.

Contact CK at +65 97938778 or email property@ckgroup.sg for more information.

Sentosa Cove

Bold architectural lines accentuate the opulence - Right in the middle of the most exciting island in Asia-Pacific. Adventures await by the water’s edge, an exclusive place to rejoice and rejuvenate, a rhapsody in eloquent elegance.

Waiting inside its portals is a special lifestyle that can be fittingly described as unparalleled – because nothing has been spared in making it the home in which everything you ever wish for is here.

Wake up to the scintillating sparkle of the cool water lapping against the sea wall, and the wonders of this spectacular island paradise is ready for you to savour, whichever way you want to.

As home and playground, Sentosa Cove is the epitome of life’s best, and can be identified by every superlative imaginable in the realm of exceptional real estate development found here in
Singapore or anywhere around the world.

Your passion for life is enhanced by the result of careful and masterful eye for perfection in every detail of the three-storey edifice that has been designed and built to give full expression to your chosen lifestyle.

You’ll appreciate the possibility that in every opening and corner is a promise to enhance the mood and expand the meaning of the daily life enjoyed by you and your family, because nothing escapes your
discerning eye.

For more information, please contact CK at +65 97938778 or email property@ckgroup.sg

HILLVISTA CONDOMINIUM (NEW T.O.P. Nov 2010)

FREEHOLD
Stylish Balinese resort ambience
Located within the residential enclave of 1 Elizabeth Drive
Future Downtown MRT line- Hillview MRT station is mere minutes walk away
Ample of shopping mall nearby
In between Bukit Batok & Bukit Timah nature reserves

Located within the prestigious & serene Hillview residential enclave of 1 Elizabeth Drive, it is strategically located between 2 nature reserves of Bukit Batok & Bukit Timah providing perfect sanctuary for those seeking pure tranquility.

With its stylish Balinese resort ambience, Hillvista is a retreat for you to rejuvenate right in the comfort of your own home. The graceful poetry of water features at the main entrance will enchant you as you arrive. Natural colours & materials have been blended to harmonize with the environment. A variety of materials are cleverly used in the exterior & interior of each of the 127 FREEHOLD apartments.

Shaded by verdant foliage, the enchanting Hillvista is an ideal choice for those looking for luxurious facilities. Fashioned like a peaceful nature retreat on the outside, Hillvista is filled with landscape gardens of exotic tropical shrubs, each carefully cultivated.

Space & versatility were two of the words that came to mind when designing Hillvista. With the option of an open plan dry kitchen, the dining, living & cooking areas can be integrated - if you so wish - to make culinary events a sociable affair.

Sit back & relax under the timber trellises or at the Balinese pavilion. Feel the tranquil moment simply at home and away from the hustle & bustle of everyday life. Future Downtown MRT line- Hillview MRT station is mere minutes walk away. Live the resort life, only at Hillvista.

Nearby Amenities:
• Bukit Timah Plaza
• King Albert Park
• Beauty World Plaza
• Bukit Timah Shopping Centre
• Rail Mall
• Bukit Timah Nature Reserve

Property Facilities:

• Koi Pond • Jacuzzi with Trellis • Pools • Gymnasium • Jacuzzi • Dining Pavilion with BBQ Pits • Aqualounges

• Dining Pavilion • Garden Pavilion • Spa Pavilion • Children play area • Sunning Deck • Fitness Station • Foot Reflexology area

For more information, please contact me at +65 97938778 or email at property@ckgroup.sg

Landed homes get new profile in pilot project

Published September 17, 2010

New approach allows for more flexibility in how they are built By KALPANA RASHIWALA (SINGAPORE) The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) is conducting a pilot project of modified guidelines that will allow more creative designs for landed homes. The guidelines will apply to nine landed housing plots it will auction next month under Sembawang Greenvale Phase 3. The guidelines do away with some of the current 'micro controls' such as the attic profile, floor-to- floor height and basement protrusions. Instead, it will merely control the envelop or the overall bulk of the house. One fallout though is that the overall height limit of a three-storey house under the new approach is lower than under the old guidelines. Singapore's planning authority said the new approach will give architects greater freedom to propose a variety of layouts and designs as long as the proposal is generally compatible with surrounding three-storey houses. For instance, one can propose more lofty spaces in certain parts of the house such as the living room and master bedroom in front, and have more compact spaces elsewhere - say, the study room or bedroom at the rear. W Architects managing director Mok Wei Wei welcomed the new approach: 'It takes care of the big picture by controlling the envelop; in other words, the building shouldn't be bigger than what it should be. But within that, it relaxes some of the earlier controls like the maximum storey height. Under existing guidelines, the first storey has a maximum height of 4.5 metres, and the second and third storeys, 3.6 metres each. 'But now this maximum storey height control is removed. So it means you have a freer volumetric play of the space, while still allowing you to achieve the same overall built-up area as before. That's the greatest advantage.' There is still a control of minimum storey height, so the minimum habitable standard is not sacrificed, he noted. For a landed housing estate like Sembawang Greenvale, under the existing rules, one could stretch the total building height upto 17.7 metres for a three-storey house with an attic and a basement. But under the envelop control approach - with an overall height of 15.5 metres, inclusive of the top 3.5 metres set back from the front and rear building facade - one can design a four-storey building and still have an attic and basement for the part of the house that one does not mind being compacted, Mr Mok says. The 15.5-metre height limit is well calibrated to ensure excessive stories are not inserted within the new envelop that could lead to, for instance, a six-storey house. The proposed envelop height limit - which is based on dimensions of a typical three-storey house, says URA - will help address concerns that a house could resemble a flat if a 17.7-metre height limit were to be allowed. The envelop control approach also does away with the existing control that the basement may protrude only upto one metre above the ground. The new approach allows a basement that is less deep and hence protrudes more above ground, which should result in cost savings for the owner. URA's spokeswoman said that if the pilot project at Sembawang Greenvale is successful, the authority may consider extending the envelop control guidelines to landed housing developments in other locations or types of works such as additions and alterations of existing landed property. The envelop control approach was the result of feedback during URA's Focus Group consultation exercise on landed housing in late 2007.