The Continuum vs Grand Dunman vs Tembusu Grand — D15 Katong New Launches Compared (2026)

Over the past few years, four large-scale condominiums have launched in the Tanjong Katong, Dunman, Jalan Tembusu and Thiam Siew belt — the core of Singapore's District 15 Katong residential area. They are all broadly in the same catchment, but they differ in the factors that usually matter most to buyers: tenure, unit count, school proximity, developer, and 2-bedroom layout availability.

This article compares The Continuum, Grand Dunman, Tembusu Grand and Emerald of Katong side-by-side, with a focus on factual, verifiable attributes. No specific transaction prices or PSF figures are cited; those should be checked against current URA caveat data at the time of purchase.

Side-by-side comparison

The data above reflects publicly available developer information. Buyers should confirm unit counts, TOP dates and layout availability with the respective developers and their own conveyancing lawyer before transacting. Price per square foot ranges are not cited here because current PSF varies substantially by stack, floor and market timing; the PropTrace transaction browser draws on URA caveat data for current price references.

1. Tenure matters for the 20-year holder

Of the four projects, The Continuum is the only freehold development. The other three — Grand Dunman, Tembusu Grand and Emerald of Katong — are 99-year leasehold on Government Land Sales (GLS) plots. For a buyer with a 5-10 year horizon, the tenure difference is typically a secondary consideration. For a buyer with a 20+ year horizon or intergenerational plans, freehold structurally avoids the lease decay curve that begins to affect leasehold properties more visibly from around the 30-40 year mark.

Because D15 has seen relatively few large freehold launches in recent years, a buyer who specifically wants freehold tenure in the Katong area has a narrow shortlist. The Continuum is currently the largest freehold condominium launched in D15 at this scale.

2. Kong Hwa Primary 1km catchment

Kong Hwa School on Tanjong Katong Road is a commonly-cited primary school for families in the Katong area because of its established reputation and central D15 location. In MOE's Phase 2B and 2C balloting, living within 1km of the school provides a meaningful priority advantage over 1-2km home-school distances.

Based on publicly available address data and straight-line distance estimates, The Continuum (Thiam Siew Avenue) and Grand Dunman (Dunman Road) fall within the 1km home-school distance band. Tembusu Grand (Jalan Tembusu) and Emerald of Katong (Tanjong Katong Road / Jalan Tembusu area) are generally considered to be outside the 1km boundary. Buyers relying on school enrolment priority should independently verify their specific unit's eligibility with MOE, since the official measurement is taken from the child's registered home address to the school, and straight-line approximations may differ at the margins.

For families where Kong Hwa 1km priority is a hard requirement, the practical shortlist narrows to The Continuum and Grand Dunman.

3. 2-Bed 2-Bath availability

For small families, investors, or buyers seeking a flexible layout, a 2-bedroom 2-bathroom configuration is usually preferred over 2-bedroom 1-bathroom. Grand Dunman's 2-bedroom units come with only one bathroom; a dedicated 2BR 2Bath layout is not part of its unit mix. The Continuum, Tembusu Grand and Emerald of Katong all offer 2BR 2Bath layouts.

For buyers whose requirements intersect freehold tenure, 1km Kong Hwa, and a 2BR 2Bath layout simultaneously, The Continuum is the only option among the four that satisfies all three conditions. Grand Dunman meets the first two (leasehold aside) but not the 2BR 2Bath layout. Tembusu Grand and Emerald of Katong meet the 2BR 2Bath condition but not the Kong Hwa 1km condition.

4. Scale and facilities

Grand Dunman is the largest of the four by unit count at 1,008 units, making it the largest leasehold project in the group. It carries one of the most extensive facility decks in the Katong area, including a notably long freeform pool. The Continuum is the largest freehold project at 816 units, spread across two plots joined by a connecting bridge — a layout that gives more frontage and facility area than a single compact site would allow. Tembusu Grand at 638 units is the most compact of the four, which some buyers prefer for lower density. Emerald of Katong at 847 units sits in between.

Facility preferences are subjective. Buyers should visit each showflat or site to compare in person, since photographs and site plans do not fully convey density, sightlines, and orientation.

5. Transport and school catchment details

All four projects benefit from the ongoing Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) extension, which has added MRT stations along the East Coast. Tanjong Katong MRT (TEL) sits between the projects, with individual walking distances varying from project to project. The East Coast Parkway (ECP) is accessible within a short drive from all four, giving direct connections to Changi Airport and the CBD.

Beyond Kong Hwa, the area is served by a dense set of primary and secondary schools including Tanjong Katong Primary, Haig Girls', CHIJ Katong Convent, Tao Nan School (within 1-2km depending on address), and several international schools along the East Coast belt. Families should independently check specific home-school distances for each project and school combination against MOE's official distance tool.

6. A featured subsale at The Continuum

For buyers whose shortlist resolves to The Continuum — freehold tenure, 1km Kong Hwa, 2BR 2Bath — a current featured subsale unit is Type B2, 667 sqft, Block 6 Stack 39, middle floor, south-facing. Full details, site plan and floor plan are on the Continuum featured listing page, and the introduction brochure (PDF) contains the supporting drawings.

As with any subsale, buyers should engage a qualified property lawyer and verify the SPA terms, remaining progress payment schedule, and developer consent to assignment before committing.

Which is right for you

There is no single "best" project among the four; the right choice depends on buyer priorities. As a rough framework:

• Freehold-oriented family with Kong Hwa priority and 2BR 2Bath requirement — The Continuum is the only project that meets all three criteria simultaneously.
• Family prioritising Kong Hwa 1km, open to 99-year leasehold, and comfortable with 2BR 1Bath layout — Grand Dunman is worth serious consideration for its scale, facilities and leasehold positioning.
• Buyer prioritising lower density and compact site — Tembusu Grand is the smallest of the four; suitable for buyers who prefer fewer neighbours and a more intimate community feel.
• Family-oriented buyer not reliant on Kong Hwa 1km — Emerald of Katong offers broader family facilities within the D15 catchment.
• Investor prioritising rental yield — Leasehold projects often price with lower absolute entry relative to comparable freehold, which can translate to better rental yield on a percentage basis; buyers should run current rental and pricing numbers carefully.

All four projects are in the D15 Katong belt, all four are served by Thomson-East Coast Line extensions, and all four offer a broadly similar lifestyle catchment. The meaningful differentiators — tenure, unit mix, school proximity — are the factors buyers should weigh most carefully against their own requirements.

This article is general information only and does not constitute legal, tax or financial advice. All project data should be independently verified with the respective developers and qualified professionals before purchase.