RETAIL DEVELOPMENT OF SERANGOON GARDENS

Abstract

The pattern of retail activities in Singapore has gone through great changes, and has evolved from small general stores to planned shopping centres. There are fundamental differences in terms of size, form and structure. Unplanned retail centres lack predictability and degree of control over the shopping environment that makes planned centres attractive to retailers. This study looked at the impact of land uses surrounding an unplanned centre in a private residential estate, the Serangoon Gardens. Major locational and non-locational factors were evaluated and consumer behaviour was examined in a survey to determine the factors attracting them to Serangoon Gardens, and the reasons why retailers chose to locate there. The shoppers survey indicated that Serangoon Gardens was comparable to HDB town centres, and ranked convenience and presence of food centres as the most important factors. By using Factor Analysis, quality and prices of goods and services, convenience, accessibility and atmosphere were the significant factors. The retailers survey showed that reputation and pleasant atmosphere were the most important factors, while Factor Analysis concluded that visibility of shopfront, income level, road network, atmosphere and closeness to linked businesses were significant factors.