The trend of building townships or master planned communities which embody the live, play, work lifestyle, has been a trend among the country’s major property developers even before the pandemic.
But when the strict lockdowns were imposed three years ago because of the pandemic, the value of living in township developments was emphasized even more, as those living in these master planned communities had everything they needed within reach when mobility was limited.
The country’s developers have continued this trend and are even expanding outside the capital region.
Professional services and investment management firm Colliers Philippines is projecting the development of more integrated communities outside Metro Manila.
“Colliers projects the development of more integrated communities as national property firms, as well as foreign developers, look for homegrown developers with sizable land bank that they can partner with. This development route should further be facilitated by a continuously improving infrastructure backbone across the country,” it said in a recent report.
Colliers urged developers eyeing to expand in the provinces to be more strategic with their land banking initiatives.
“National players should explore partnering with local/homegrown developers and even local government units (LGUs) that have massive land bank which can be developed into integrated communities,” Colliers said.
An example of these partnerships, as cited by Colliers, is Rockwell Land’s joint venture with Pampanga-based Juan Nepomuceno Realty Group for the development of its Nepo Center township in Angeles City.
Other examples include Ayala Land’s partnership with Taft Properties for the Seagrove Mactan in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, as well as its partnership with the Alcantara group for the Azuela Cove Davao in Davao del Sur.
“Colliers believes that developers will likely look into launching more integrated communities in Davao given its position as a property investment hub in the Visayas-Mindanao (VisMin) region,” it said in a separate report.
With the projected rise of more townships across the country, is it a good idea to live in a township development? Let’s take a look at some of the advantages of living in a township development.
Having everything within your reach
Living in a township ensures that you have easy access to all the necessary establishments and services. Whether it’s a grocery run, a trip to the drugstore, or just a quick munch in a nearby restaurant, living in a township will allow you to do this in the community where you reside.
Some townships even have bigger retail components such as malls, giving residents a wider array of retail options.
In some cases, there are also townships that have hospitals and educational institutions.
Better work-life balance
As townships also feature office components, living in these integrated communities may give you the chance to just walk a short distance to your place of work instead of struggling with the long hours of commute or the daily long drive.
Because you no longer have to travel far to get to work, you have more time on your hands to spend leisurely. You can enjoy some of the usual recreational areas that townships offer including open parks, fitness gyms, swimming pools, playgrounds for children, etc.
Strategic location
Accessibility is always a key selling point that developers use to market a township project. These integrated township projects are usually located near key infrastructure projects or major thoroughfares to allow residents easy access to where they need to go outside of the township.
As strategic location always adds more value to a piece of property, investing in a residential unit located within a township development may be a wise decision to make.
Sustainable features
Sustainability is also a trend that both residential seekers and developers have focused on amid the pandemic. Fortunately, developers have paid attention to this preference as a lot of townships today have green and sustainable features, with some dedicating a percentage of the master planned development for nature parks and open spaces.
Whether it’s within the country’s capital or in the countryside, living in a township development truly has a lot of benefits to match one’s ever changing lifestyle needs.