Aspen Group and IKEA Southeast Asia, the joint venture partners for Aspen Vision City has yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Marriott International, appointing Aloft Hotel as the hotel operator in the world class master planned development- Aspen Vision City in Batu Kawan, Penang. The announcement was made during the first ever annual Ikano Centres Tenant Engagement Event. Ikano Centres, which is part of IKEA Southeast Asia, develops and manages all the shopping centres anchored by IKEA stores in the region. This forum provides first hand news and highlights the growing Ikano Centres portfolio of shopping centres across Southeast Asia, including the upcoming regional integrated shopping centre anchored by IKEA Batu Kawan in Aspen Vision City.

Present in the event were Dato’ M. Murly, President and Group Chief Executive Officer of Aspen Group, Christian Rojkjaer, Managing Director of IKEA Southeast Asia, Sebastian Hylving, Expansion Director of IKEA Southeast Asia and Christian Olofsson, Shopping Centre and Mixed-use Development Director of IKEA Southeast Asia.

First International Branded Hotel at Batu Kawan

Aloft Hotel in Aspen Vision City, will be the first international branded hotel in Batu Kawan, the touted third satellite city of Penang. Bursting with a vibrant social atmosphere and a competitive price point, this 260,000 square-feet chic hotel will stand tall on a 30-storey tower with 308 room keys, complemented by international hotel facilities. The hotel is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2023.

Catering to today’s modern travellers and holiday makers, the amenities and facilities of the hotel include a swimming pool, fitness centre, meeting rooms, ballrooms, restaurants and bar.

The Aloft Hotel will be sited in a mixed development and integrated with Vogue Lifestyle Residence, Vogue Piazza and Office Suites. It will also enjoy direct access to the regional integrated shopping centre and IKEA Batu Kawan.

The 1,000,000-plus sq. ft. regional integrated shopping centre in Aspen Vision City will be anchored by IKEA Batu Kawan, making it the first of its kind in Northern Malaysia. It will feature a rooftop garden with al-fresco dining, children’s play areas and spaces for public events focusing on providing entertainment, leisure, dining and other attractions bringing families, friends and the community together. More than just a shopping centre, it will be a meeting place with something for everyone. The regional integrated shopping centre is scheduled to open in 2022.

“The shopping centre in Batu Kawan will be connected to the other mixed developments in Aspen Vision City, making the journey from home to shop to offices and other lifestyle amenities as convenient and seamless as possible. IKEA Batu Kawan and the shopping centre will become a real community hub – a meeting place that provides a fun day out for the many people of Northern Malaysia,” said Christian Rojkjaer.

245-acres Integrated Township Development

Aspen Vision City, is a landmark joint venture development between Aspen Group and IKEA Southeast Asia. Spanning across 245 acres Freehold land, it is strategically situated right at the landing point of the Second Penang Bridge and is served by a comprehensive network of infrastructure. With a gross development value of more than RM13 billion, the development includes the first IKEA store and regional integrated shopping centre, an eclectic mix of residential and commercial components ranging from luxurious designer homes to the region’s largest commercial precinct, office towers, condominiums, international class business hotel, Columbia Asia Medical Centre, transportation hub and a 25-acre Central Island Park.

Central Island Park and Vervea 

The first phase of Aspen Vision City includes the 25-acre Central Island Park, Vervea shop office and IKEA Batu Kawan store. The joint venture partners have invested RM105 million for the first phase of the Central Island Park which including the land cost and softscape such as flowers, plants, shrubs, trees, flower beds and construction of the landscaping works. They will further invest another RM 45 million for the second phase of the park in the next 5 years. The Central Island Park has been opened to public since October 2018. Vervea is expecting to obtain the Certificate of Completion and Compliance (CCC) in December this year while the IKEA store is scheduled to open in March 2019.

IKEA Batu Kawan

At 433,000 square feet, IKEA Batu Kawan will offer well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them. The showroom will feature dozens of inspirational room settings. A market hall area to provide everything from cookware to candles. A restaurant that will serve the store’s famous Swedish meatballs. A supervised children’s play area to give parents the time they need to shop with everything in the store available to be taken home the same day.

“With the unparalleled connectivity and first-class infrastructure and amenities, Aspen Vision City is easily connected to the entire 6.5 million population in the Northern Region of Malaysia. With all the key catalysts and the investments from various business partners and key industry players, it is able to bring in ample job opportunities, tourist visitations, economic advancement and investment opportunities. Plotted at a prominent locale of Batu Kawan, Aspen Vision City offers an upper hand to home buyers and property investors as well as the various businesses that will be blooming in this appealing destination. We believe all the commercial activities in Aspen Vision City will create a new vitality and stimulate the vigorous economic activities in the State,” said Dato’ M. Murly.

Be the first to discover the new 1,675 acres mega township by S P Setia – Setia Fontaines at Ng Yam Huat Hall, Bukit Mertajam. Save the date and join with us at Ng Yam Huat Hall, Bukit Mertajam on 24 November 2018.

Event Date: 24 Nov 2018 (Sat)
Time: 10.00am – 10.00pm
Location: Ng Yam Huat Hall, Bukit Mertajam

*Event Highlight:
10am – Cash Tornado Machine, Games Workshop & Fun Activities,
11am – Blood Donation, Exotic Pet Exhibition, Free Health & Skin Screening
2pm – Colouring Contest
4pm – Kids Workshop
6pm – Zumba Fitness Dance
7pm – SATAY Party

Orange Park, a gated and guarded development by Doublemax Development Sdn. Bhd. (Tah Wah Group) in Bukit Mertajam. It is strategically located along Jalan Betek Manis, easily accessible the bustling Jalan Song Ban Kheng. Just a stone’s throw away from SJK(C) Keow Kuang Primary School.

This development comprises 54 units of 2-storey terrace houses, 1 unit of 2-storey bungalow and a resident clubhouse.

More details to be available upon project launch.

Project Name : Orange Park
Location : Bukit Mertajam, Penang
Property Type : Gated & guarded residential
Total Units: 54 (terrace), 1 (bungalow)
Indicative Price : RM650,000 onwards
Developer : Doublemax Development Sdn. Bhd. (Tah Wah Group)

Location Map:

The state government is planning a new mechanism to prevent low-cost (LC) and low medium-cost (LMC) unit owners from profiting from the sales of units.

Under the new guidelines, LC and LMC unit owners will have to sell their units to the government at a mutually acceptable price.

State Housing, Town, Country Planning and Local Government Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo said this was to prevent the owners from excessive profiteering from the sales of their units.

“Owners must adhere to the original intention where the units were for the low-income groups and it’s perfectly alright if they were moving to higher end units.

“However, they were not suppose to sell their units for a ‘durian runtuh’ (huge windfall) as it defeats the purpose of them buying the units in the first place.

“There were cases where a RM42,000 unit was sold for RM300,000 due to speculation,” said Jagdeep during his winding-up speech at the state assembly.

Thus, Jagdeep said the state would buy over the units of those who were planning to sell to be sold to others in the waiting list.

“Through this there would be a continuous supply of LC and LMC units and the state would not have to build new units,” he said, adding that a task force had been set up to look into the mechanism and its enforcement.

On the issue of the urban rejuvenation plan for the Rifle Range flats, Jagdeep said it has been put on hold until the legal aspects are worked out.

“In Singapore, the Urban Rejuvenation Authority has wide powers where a building could be demolished if majority of the unit holders agreed to the move.

“We don’t have such laws here and we are awaiting the feedback from the federal government on the issue where the Strata Titles Act have to be amended,” he said.

Source: TheStar.com.my

The Penang government plans to call for a Request for Proposal (RFP) to offer water taxi services in the state after failing to receive any response on the idea.

Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the water taxi services would open more routes and more effective transportation networks by connecting the island and mainland via water transport.

Tanjung Tokong, George Town, Jelutong, Butterworth, Perai, Bukit Tambun, Batu Kawan, Nibong Tebal and other areas on the island and Seberang Prai have been suggested as locations for the water taxi services.

“This proposal has already made in into the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP). However, no actions have been forthcoming, hence we might proceed with the RFP.

“This will connect both the island and the mainland and also the multi-level paths between it.

“Rapid Ferrry Sdn Bhd is also welcome if they want to make this proposal because ferries will be the main transportation for its implementation,” he said when met on the sidelines of the state legislative assembly sitting here on Wednesday.

He was responding to suggestions to optimise the frequency of ferry operations, which stands at 54 journeys daily between Monday and Friday and 50 trips for Saturdays and Sundays.

On the operational cost of the Penang ferry, Chow said that the collections for the services was lower compared to its operational cost, hence why Penang Port Sdn Bhd had to let it go to Penang Ferry Sdn Bhd.

“We are however awaiting a response from Prasarana Malaysia Bhd (Prasarana) which is drafting a comprehensive proposal to improve the ferry services.

“It is still in the planning stage and we understand Prasarana needs their own assistance, but the state government hopes action can be taken,” he added.

On a separate matter, he said the state government has forwarded a suggestion to the Finance Minister to consider Butterworth as a location for an Urban Transformation Centre (UTC).

“The company had contacted the Seberang Perai Municipal Council to use its old building to set up a UTC in the previous election. However, there has been no further development until today.

“The Penang Sentral operator at Butterworth had also expressed interest in setting up a UTC in their building,” he said.

Source: NST Online