A company has plans to construct bungalows on an 8ha site around Highland Towers, but the two abandoned high-rise buildings will not be redeveloped into houses or buildings. Instead, it will be turned into a recreational park, reported The Star.
“A private developer owns 50 plots of bungalow land around the location of the towers. The developer will buy the land where the two remaining towers stand, demolish them and then redevelop the place into a recreational park,” said Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) President Abdul Hamid Abdul Hussain on Monday (20 Aug).
While MPAJ’s committee for the redevelopment of Highland Towers in Taman Sri Ukay deemed the site unsuitable for any high-rise project, the redevelopment of Highland Towers into a recreational park cannot proceed until all owners of the units in the derelict buildings are identified.
“The Insolvency Department hopes to identify the remaining owners of the 27 units at Highland Towers before any redevelopment can take place,” noted Abdul Hamid.
Previously, Housing Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin revealed that the authorities had scrapped its initial plans to redevelop Highland Towers into affordable housing for low-income earners as the site occupied by the two abandoned buildings is ill-suited for homes and buildings.
Dion Sharil Isha, a resident of Taman Sri Ukay, said he felt relieved that the government changed its plans.
“We were all shocked and disappointed by Zuraida’s initial plan to build flats at the Highland Towers site. The hill was deemed unsafe and unstable, which caused the collapse of one of the Highland Towers in the first place.”
In December 1993, one of three towers there toppled down, resulting in the deaths of 48 individuals.
However, Dion is now worried that the security of the nearby Hillview guarded community would be negatively affected if Highland Towers is turned into a park. As such, he is urging the government to consult them first before finalising its decision.
Image sourced from The Star Online
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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