Conserved Building

149 Neil Road

Applicable Guidelines

Residential Historic District Guidelines

Conservation Area

Blair Plain Conservation Area

Historic address: 149 Neil Road

About

This used to be the family home of the wealthy Malacca-born businessman Choa Kim Keat (1858–1907), after whom Kim Keat Road is named.

The History

The upper part of Neil Road started to develop in the last decade of the 19th century when wealthy merchants moved their family homes to less congested areas outside of Chinatown.

The Legacy

In restoring the house and updating the interior to suit modern living, close attention was paid to respecting its historical integrity. The cut porcelain pieces adorning the front façade of the house were stripped of paint to recover their original finish and colour, while the scroll plaques above the first-storey windows were masterfully restored to return the house to its former glory.

Guidelines and Procedures

All proposed works will need to comply with the Conservation Guidelines and the Specific Restoration Guidelines (SRG). Conservation Permission is required before all additions & alteration works and operations of new use can begin.

Residential Fronts are characterised by timber casement windows flanking a double-leafed timber door. All buildings with residential front which is existing and/or identified in the 'Specific Restoration Guidelines', regardless of land use zoning, shall be retained and restored.