Local Plans for Penang Island, Seberang Prai to be finalised by 2017

GEORGE TOWN: The Local Plans (LP) for districts on Penang Island and Seberang Prai are expected to be finalised and gazetted by 2017 according to Penang Housing, Town and Country Planning Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh (pix).

He said the only outstanding Special Area Plan (SAP) left was the Botanical Gardens SAP which is also expected to be completed and gazetted by next year.

He said the completion of the LP and SAP will make it possible for the State Structure Plan 2020 (PSP 2020) to be gazetted soon.

“The state government had intended for the various SAPs to be finalised to be incorporated into the PSP 2020,” he said in delivering his report card for 2016 today after distributing calendars to constituents at Taman Free School here.

Jagdeep also said the state was firm on setting up workers dormitories for foreign workers where one project, out of four submitted so far, is slated to begin construction in 2017 at Bukit Tambun.

He said there will be opposition to such projects but pointed out such housing was needed to address issues of foreign workers “flooding housing estates” which can cause social problems.

“People will complain but there will also be people who complain ‘why are there foreign workers in my estate?’,” he said.

Jagdeep also defended the move to allow the density to increase from 87 units per acre to 128 units per acre for certain development projects.

He said this allowed for a reduction in the size of the units for a project which would invariably see a reduction in price for such units.

“The rational behind this move was to make units built under these guidelines more affordable,” he said.

On the provision of affordable housing by the state, Jagdeep said the first phase of Bandar Cassia in Batu Kawan was 91% completed to date and the certificate of completion (CCC) was expected to be obtained in 2017.

Other state projects are at Kampung Jawa (48.3% completed) and Teluk Kumbar (32% completed) and he vowed to ensure these were delivered in a timely fashion.

He also pointed out the Pakatan government has delivered 11,487 low-cost (LC) and 9,400 low-medium cost (LMC) housing units since 2008 compare to the previous government which delivered 4,355 LC units and 769 LMC units from 2000 to 2007.