The implementation of urban redevelopment or urban regeneration for ‘old’ and high-risk residential buildings is aimed at creating sustainable and habitable development.

Penang Local Government, Housing Town and Country Planning Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo said, this urban redevelopment initiative has been widely implemented in developed countries including some countries in Asia such as Hong Kong and Singapore.

“In 2015, the State Government established the Urban Redevelopment Committee (URC) to monitor issues related to urban redevelopment including building structure security issues.

“(And) as informed earlier, in Penang there are still several public housing schemes that are over 50 years old.

“Therefore, the implementation of urban redevelopment is expected to address issues such as obsolescence of uneconomic structures due to the need for continuous repairs and unsafe old buildings.

“However, until now, the State Government has to wait for the guidance on the implementation of urban redevelopment based on the provisions of the law from the Federal Government to either use the existing act or create a new city redevelopment act,” he said at a press conference at Komtar on 5 October 2020.

Also present were Senior Assistant Secretary (Housing), ‘Ainul Fadhilah Samsudi and representatives from the Penang Development Corporation (PDC).

Earlier, Jagdeep responded to the issue of structural cracks in one of the residential buildings in Taman Free School as reported in an English-language newspaper.

“The issue of the cracking is not something new as the building is over 50 years old and the movement of land in the surrounding area worsens the situation.

“However, the Penang City Council (MBPP) has acted swiftly by relocating the occupants in affected units to a temporary home.

“(And) the area is also closed due to security factors,” he replied.

It is understood that an independent consultant has also been appointed to ratify the situation and monitoring will continue until further action is agreed.

According to Jagdeep, Taman Free School is one of five old public housing schemes placed under URC monitoring.

Apart from Taman Free School, also listed are flats in Padang Tembak (Air Itam); Lengkok Mahsuri (Bayan Baru); Siakap Park in Seberang Jaya and Mak Mandin (in Butterworth).

“For the Lengkok Mahsuri public housing scheme, the urban redevelopment project should be started at the end of this year but postponed due to COVID-19.

Source: Buletin Mutiara

 

Goodwood Residence, a mixed development by Definite Harmony Development Sdn. Bhd. (a subsidiary of WHH Land) at Bayan Lepas, Penang. Strategically located along Jalan Tun Dr. Awang, next to The Clovers condominium by Asia Green Group. It is less than 2km away from Penang International Airport, about 15 minutes’ drive to Second Penang Bridge.

This development comprises a 35-storey condominium with 8 units of shop lots located at the ground floor. Featuring 260 units of the residential unit with indicative price starting from RM500,000 onwards.

Property Project: Goodwood Residence
Location : Bayan Lepas
Property Type : Mixed development
Tenure: Freehold
Built-up Size: 1,075 sq.ft.
Total Units : 260
Indicative Price : RM500,000 onwards
Developer : Definite Harmony Development Sdn. Bhd. (WHH Land)
Last Updated: Oct 2020

Location Map:

 

 

SITE PROGRESS

SITE PROGRESS: Goodwood Residence (Dec 2023)

 

 

About The Stone

An affordable housing development by PLB Land in Paya Terubong, Penang. It is located immediately opposite Majestic Heights, only 1km away from the ongoing EcoTerrace scheme by EcoWorld. Featuring 1,000 units of affordable houses.

(Photo source: Facebook)

Find out more about The Stone

The Penang State Government is now setting a new target to provide 220,000 units of affordable housing by 2030.

Penang Local Government, Housing Town and Country Planning Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo said, previously the State Government set a target to provide 180,000 units of affordable housing as part of  vision Penang 2030.

“However, two weeks ago I submitted a proposal in the Exco meeting to add another 20 percent or 40,000 units of affordable housing and it was agreed to address the increased demand from those affected by COVID-19 pandemic.

“And it is the priority of the State Government to provide adequate affordable housing of various types for the people in this state,” he said at a press conference in Komtar on 5 October 2020.

Also present were Senior Assistant Secretary (Housing), ‘Ainul Fadhilah Samsudi and representatives of the Penang Development Corporation (PDC).

According to Jagdeep, to date a total of 106,742 units of affordable housing are available at various categories.

“Of the total, 34,388 units have been completed; 20,180 units are under construction and 52,174 units have been approved for construction.

“(And) of the total as well, a total of 26,616 units are affordable houses (RMM) Type A; 26,995 (Type B) and 53,131 (Type C) with prices offered at RM42,000, RM72,500 and below RM300,000 respectively.

“The 20 percent increase will also include houses with price from RM42,000 to RM300,000,” he said.

Commenting further, Jagdeep who is also the Chairman of the Selection Process Enhancement Committee (SPEC) informed that the committee has approved a total of 54,138 housing applications.

Since its establishment in 2013, this committee has met 58 times where all committee members consisting of Exco, State Assemblyman (ADUN), Member of Parliament (MP) and Housing Division.

“Of the 54,138 applications that have been approved, a total of 25,913 applications are for RMM Type A; 10,930 (RMM Type B), 16,683 (RMM Type C) and Rent-To-Own (RTO) of 612 units.

 

“Only truly qualified applicants will be given affordable housing units and this committee will continue to screen and recommend waiting lists until no more waiting lists are reported,” he said.

Speaking about the waiting list, Jagdeep said that there was previously a list of applicants since 1976.

“To recognize the effectiveness of this committee, I am glad to announce that there is no waiting list for RMM Type A in the Seberang Perai Tengah (SPT) district for the quota of all races.

Meanwhile, for the Southwest and North Seberang Perai (SPU) districts, there is no waiting list for Chinese and Indian quotas.

“As for RMM Type B, the Southwest and SPU areas are reported to have no waiting lists for Chinese and Indian quotas.

“And for RMM Type C, all districts are reported to be given offers according to the project applied for by the applicants.”

“Since there are already locations that no longer have a waiting list, the houses will be offered to the eligible applicants according to the current demand and supply. ”

“For the Northeast district, the demand is very high but supply is very limited due to high population density with limited land to be developed.

Source: Buletin Mutiara

 

The Federal Court today ruled that management corporation bodies of residential strata buildings, through their own house rules, can prohibit short-term rental of residential units in their buildings.

A three-member bench, chaired by Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, said even if the state authority permitted the use of the land for commercial purposes, such use was still subject to other laws in force such as the Strata Management Act 2013.

“Hence, the passing of the house rules is not unlawful,” she said in affirming the decisions of the High Court and the Court of Appeal in dismissing an appeal by four appellants.

Sitting with Tengku Maimun were Rohana Yusof and Mohd Zawawi Salleh.

Court Case: Verve Suites Mont Kiara passed a by-law to stop short-term rentals

In this case, Verve Suites Mont Kiara Management Corporations passed a by-law to stop short-term rentals because residents complained that guests in such arrangements were a nuisance and a breach of its by-laws.

This resulted in Verve Suites filing a suit in the High Court in 2018 against Innab Salil, Innab Trade Sdn Bhd, Ng Gaik Kian and Tan Why Chuan.

Earlier, the Commissioner of Building Kuala Lumpur had issued a circular instructing all joint management bodies to curb the prevailing use of buildings in and around the city for short-term rental.

Following the circular, Verve Suites Mont Kiara held an extraordinary general meeting, proposing to enact “House Rule No. 3”, which essentially prohibited the use of apartments for short-term rentals.

It said any stay for which a booking was made through services, phone apps and websites such as Airbnb, booking.com, agoda.com and klsuites.com would fall under the prohibited short-term rentals.

It said any unit owner who infringed the rule should also pay a fine.

House Rule 3 was passed with an overwhelming majority and the residents were duly notified.

Verve Suites, represented by lawyer Shahbudin Syed Alaudin, was awarded RM50,000 in costs. Counsel Manpal Singh Sachdev appeared for the four defendants.

Source: Free Malaysia Today