THE Penang Municipal Council plans to convert Persiaran Minden 1, Persiaran Minden 2 and part of Persiaran Minden 3 in Gelugor into one-way streets.

Under the proposal, the one-way traffic on Persiaran Minden 1 would be from Lorong Changkat Minden 14 towards Persiaran Minden 2.

For Persiaran Minden 2, the one-way traffic flow proposed is from Persiaran Minden 1 towards Persiaran Minden 3. On Persiaran Minden 3, the proposed flow is from Persiaran Minden 2 towards Lorong Changkat Minden 14.

The conversion was to ensure smoother traffic flow and reduce congestion, a press statement issued recently by the council’s public relations office said.

The council is now gathering feedback for the proposal and is inviting the public to give their views by calling the council at 04-2592202 or 04-2592205 or email to zainuddin@mppp.gov.my before Dec 16. Enquiries can also be made at the same phone numbers and email.

MPPP would taking into consideration feedback received before making on the proposal.

Source: The Star

Mont Tierra Residences, strategically located within the established township of Sungai Ara, Penang. Comprises 44 units of 3-storey terrace houses with typical land area of 20 ft. x 70 ft. Each unit comes with 5 bedrooms and double volume ceiling at dining area.

Property Project : Mont Tierra Residences
Location : Sungai Ara, Penang
Property Type : 3-Storey Terrace
Tenure : Freehold
Total Units : 44
Land Area: 1,400 sq. ft. onwards
Developer : Solid Gold Network Sdn. Bhd.
Indicative Price: RM 950,000 onwards

KUALA LUMPUR: UDA Holdings Bhd expects the first phase of its RM165mil residential project as part of the redevelopment of Tanjong Tokong in Penang to be completed by the end of 2014.

“The first phase will see the development of 550 apartment units to be spread out in eight to 10-storey blocks worth RM87mil while the second phase is expected to start construction after the completion of the first phase. It will consist of 650 apartment units build for the 1,200 original settlers of the area.

“The apartment units, costing an average RM120,000 each, will be given free to the area’s original settlers, while the remaining units will be sold at a discount to residents who have been renting houses for over 10 years in the area.

“As of now, we are assessing about 20 over contractors to undertake the project and we plan to announce the decision in two to three weeks time,” UDA chairman Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed told reports at the press conference yesterday on the upcoming groundbreaking ceremony of the project to be launched by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on Dec 8.

Nur Jazlan explained that this project would be the final chapter of redevelopment and resettlement of Tanjong Tokong that put an end to an entanglement that started when UDA was given the reponsibility to redevelop the area about four decades ago mandated by the former prime minister the late Tun Razak Hussein in 1972.

Source: The Star

MALAYSIAN Resources Corp Bhd (MRCB) says the Penang Sentral project in Butterworth, estimated to be worth over RM3 billion, will begin in 2013 after more than four years of delay.

Penang Sentral, an integrated mixed commercial development was expected to start in 2008 but works got delayed due to land acquisition matters. MRCB was awaiting federal government allocation to fund the public utility project.

It was then reported that Phase 1, comprising the integrated transportation hub with a retail component, worth an estimated RM400 million, would start in December 2010.

MRCB’s property division head of marketing Zamry Ibrahim said construction will begin next year and there would be some changes to the plan, like the incorporation of more green elements in the buildings.

“There is a lot of demand for energy efficient buildings from multi-national companies and local players. We will develop what is required by the market,” Zamry told Business Times in an interview recently.

The 9.6ha Penang Sentral will feature a transport terminal for ferries, buses, taxis, trains and a projected monorail station.

Zamry said the terminal will be integrated and surrounded with commercial, residential and retail components, similar to MRCB’s Kuala Lumpur Sentral integrated commercial hub in Brickfields.

The 28.8ha KL Sentral development, which started over eight years ago, currently comprises a transport hub for rail, buses and taxis, two hotels, a mall, and several residential and commercial towers.

Penang Sentral, which is part of the Northern Corridor Economic Region initiative, will be developed by MRCB and Pelaburan Hartanah Bumiputera Bhd.

The project is poised to be the catalyst of growth to rejuvenate the economy in the northern region.

It has been reported that Penang Sentral is expected to generate economic spill-over effects of over RM8 billion when it is completed in about 10 years.

It is also expected that with the completion of the KTMB electrified double tracking project, train service between Penang Sentral and KL Sentral will be shorten to three hours.

Source: Business Times

THE Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) has approved 14 projects under the 87 units per 0.404ha guideline since it came into effect in June, 2010.

State Local Government and Traffic Management Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said stringent measures had however been imposed on developers to build the increased density units.

“The guideline is not applicable in established housing areas, World Heritage Site, the area from Tanjung Bungah Hotel to Mar Vista, along Gurney Drive, the bordering areas of Air Putih constituency and Air Itam constituency and re-zoning area.

“The floor area for the guideline is also capped at about 1,400sq ft per unit and MPPP has also imposed a price control for 25% of the units,” he said in a press conference at the City Hall in Esplanade yesterday. `

Of the 25%, Chow said developers would have to sell 5% of the units at RM200,000 per unit, 15% at RM300,000 per unit and 5% at RM400,000 per unit.

He said if a developer wished to build under the new guideline, the company would have to build an additional 30% low-cost or low medium-cost units in the same district.

“Developers will also have to submit a traffic impact assessment (TIA) report for the respective projects,” he said.

Chow added that currently 109.26ha of land on Penang island was available for the building of units under the new guideline.

He said this worked out to 8,100 units at 30 units per 0.404ha and under the new guideline, 23,490 units could be built.

Council president Datuk Patahiyah Ismail, who was also present, said there would be no capped floor plan size if developers chose to build 30 units per 0.404ha.

“With the 87 units per 0.404ha guideline, we can in a way curb super condos and the issue of expensive prices,” she said.

In recent news reports, many Penangites questioned the need for the guideline as they were concerned that higher density may lead to social and environmental problems for the existing residents.

The 14 projects which have been approved are in Jalan C.Y. Choy,

Jalan Macalister, Jalan Seang Teik, Lorong Perak, Sungai Ara, Bukit Gambier (two projects), Lembah Permai, Jalan Jelutong (two projects), Jalan Paya Terubong, Jalan Perak, Jalan Tanjung Tokong and Jalan Pantai Jerejak.

Source: The Star