States like Penang and Perlis should publish their respective local development plan, as majority of the areas in western Malaysia have already done so, Citizens Awareness Chant Group (Chant) told The Star.
According to Chant adviser Yan Lee, 80 percent of the areas in western Malaysia have already gazetted their development plans based on data from the Town and Village Planning Department as of February 2012.
He pointed out that publishing a local development plan is important as it will outline the approved developments within specific areas, prevent land owners or developers from building things that doesn’t conform with the plan, preventing any surprise projects.
“Without a local plan, people don’t know what they are getting themselves into as when they buy property, there is no assurance about (what will be built in) the surrounding areas.”
Yan Lee explained that while Penang has already published its Structure Plan, this is different from the local development plan, as the former is more flexible. It also tends to provide a general idea on what can be constructed, instead of being specific.
“Guidelines the Structure Plan allow a small-time developer to buy plots on which two semi-detached houses sit and the developer can then demolish or convert the houses to build a high-rise, thus increasing the population density.”
Another difference is that when a local development plan is gazetted, it will be first discussed in the state assembly before being put to a vote for approval.
While he lauded the state government for exhibiting the Penang Structure Plan 2030 draft for two months instead of one month as required by the law, he is urging the state officials to focus on publishing the local plan first.
“The local plan was supposed to be gazetted before GE13 but the state wanted to include a Special Area Plan (SAP) for the heritage area, Botanic Garden and Penang Hill,” he noted.
In addition, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow announced in July that they target to gazette the Penang Structure Plan by 2019, likewise for the local development plan.
Although the local plan was already approved in 208, it was never published and enforced, even though it included the kinds of projects that can be built in certain places in detail, including the allowed population densities.
Image source: The Star
This article was edited by the editorial team of PropertyGuru. To contact them about this or other stories email editorialteam@propertyguru.com.my
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