In a move that has outraged heritage activists, the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) has approved plans for a five-storey building behind a 122-year-old market, the oldest in the city.

The Campbell Street market redevelopment project will include shophouses, parking lots and “studio rooms” to be built by the council itself. Public records show planning approval was given by the council in 22 days.

In its planning application submitted in February 2022, MBPP also proposes to “restore and retain” the front portion of the market. The council, in an immediate reply, said it would await Unesco’s feedback before proceeding with the project.

The decision has been met with opposition by George Town Heritage Action’s Mark Lay. He said the back portion of the market was an extension built in the mid-1900s, but currently not in use.

“While there might not be any use for it now, everything is sacrosanct,” he said. “It is unnecessary to have a five-storey building there, it is ridiculous.”

Lay said it was also shocking that the development site had been carved out as a Category II heritage site under the draft George Town Special Area Plan (SAP) and replaced with an “infill” or an earmark for possible redevelopment.

“It is upsetting that this was delisted, and a project is about to take off without any discussion with stakeholders. Unesco should take a look at the site before anything is built,” he said.

State heritage commissioner Rosli Nor said that based on the draft George Town SAP, the back portion of the market has been allowed for redevelopment, so as to improve the character of the site.

In a text message, he said the International Council on Monuments and Sites, which advises Unesco on World Heritage Site matters, will look into the proposed development.

Meanwhile, an MBPP spokesman said a technical review panel had approved the project last year, which included the restoration of the Campbell Street market.

“The development proposal has been referred to the national heritage department, which will consult the Unesco World Heritage Centre for further comment,” the spokesman said.

The Campbell Street market was built in 1901 on the site of an old Malay cemetery, known as “Hutan Mayat”. The cemetery was situated at the edge of the land that was provided to the Indian Muslim community for the construction of the Kapitan Keling Mosque in the 1800s.

The city council bought over cemetery land belonging to the mosque to build the market and a police station at the cost of 21,000 Straits dollars, a council handout from 2016 showed. The cemetery land was replaced with a piece of land at Perak Road. The central police station still stands behind the market today.

At the centre of the market lies the tomb of Sheikh Mustafa Wali of Afghanistan, a preacher and patron saint of poulterers. The British encountered trouble relocating the tomb and decided to keep it there enclosed in the walls. The site remains a Category I listed heritage.

The Campbell Street market was previously known as the Carnarvon Street market, as it was between the two streets. It is the second market in the city centre, after Chowrasta about 1km away.

Source: FreeMalaysiaToday.com