Worried that a plot of land near their homes could be developed into a high-rise condominium in the near future, residents in Section 14, Petaling Jaya called on the authorities to consider the traffic impact as well as well-being of nearby residents, reported The Star.
The land in Section 51A is located near the Asia Jaya LRT station. Currently used as a public carpark, it is estimated to be about 4ha.
Long-time resident M. Charles said the main road leading to the plot of land is usually congested during the evening and morning rush hours, with the bottleneck originating from Federal Highway.
He revealed that the residents learned of a future high-rise development on the land in a business report they saw.
The residents are concerned that the developer or council may extend the road from the proposed development to Sungai Penchala by joining either Jalan 51A/223 with Jalan 51A/222 to the T-junction with Jalan 14/15 and Jalan 14/29, or Jalan 14/15.
Should Jalan 51A/223 be changed from being a cul-de-sac to a through road, road users will use it as a short cut to get to Jalan 14/29 and Jalan 14/15 from Jalan Utara – increasing traffic volume passing in Section 14.
Peter Foo, vice-chairman of Section 14 (Jalan 14/1 to 14/15) Residents Association, hoped that the proposed development would benefit the locals.
“With developments taking place, the government’s coffers will grow through collection of assessment rates…However, please consider the existing residents’ plight on issues related to traffic,” he said.
If the site belongs to the state or any of its subsidiaries, building a hospital or government clinic would be welcome addition to the community, he suggested.
“Petaling Jaya does not have a government hospital and this could be an opportunity…This location is close to the Asiajaya LRT station and the middle and lower income groups could use the train to get here,” he said.
The new development may also be rented to businesses such as car workshops at cheaper rates, noted Foo.
“The government should think of developments on prime land that could provide a better living environment for long-time residents who have contributed to the city,” he added.
Section 14 Pro-tem Committee vice-president Sheikh M. Kadir, on the other hand, hoped the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) would conduct a town hall meeting to inform residents of any large-scale development plans within their area.
“We do not want any high-density development here and we ask for transparency in the decision-making process so that we can share our input as long-time residents,” he said.
Meanwhile, councillor Derek Fernandez said no proposals have been submitted to the council to develop the site.
“The land is presently zoned as commercial…If there is a development proposal, the council will place a notice board at the site and the residents can share their views,” he said.
“However, the council will certainly ask the developer to conduct and submit their traffic impact studies when they propose a development.”
MBPJ assured the residents that they have not received any proposal to develop the plot of land.
Measuring 3.9ha, the land on Lot 2002 and Lot 2003 was allotted for business purposes to Kumpulan Darul Ehsan Berhad (KDEB) – a subsidiary of the Selangor government – on 8 April 2008.
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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