The Penang government, through the One-Stop Centre (OSC) of the Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP), has set an ambitious goal to shorten the planning permission approval process to just 40 days.

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said MBSP and all technical agencies are actively collaborating to streamline the process.

He acknowledged the current approval period under the MBSP OSC is around 58 days and stressed the need for applicants to submit comprehensive and compliant plans to ease the process.

“The relevant agencies have begun a mission to reduce the planning permission approval period to 40 days.

“To meet this ambitious goal, a workshop was held this week to map out the process meticulously.

“The process was mapped backwards from 40 days to identify the daily milestones,” he explained to the media when asked about the recently announced Rumah Bakat Baru Madani Affordable Housing Scheme.

The housing scheme was touted as the nation’s largest housing development targeted at the B40 and M40 income groups. The Rumah Bakat Baru Madani Affordable Housing Scheme is scheduled to commence in Penang by the first quarter of next year (2025).

Chow recently attended the signing ceremony of the joint development agreement for the project between the Penang Development Corporation (PDC), its subsidiary PDC Properties, and SkyWorld Development Berhad. The event took place at the St. Regis Hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, also present at the event in Kuala Lumpur, highlighted the efficiency of development processes in Kuala Lumpur, where planning permissions are approved in approximately 42 days.

“If Kuala Lumpur can do it, then Penang can do it too,” he remarked.

Chow had earlier mentioned that the state has identified two plots of land in Seberang Perai, namely 34 acres of land in Seberang Jaya (Jalan Todak in front of Penang Bird Park), and another 161.5 acres of land near Batu Kawan (Design Village Outlet Mall) for the development.

“From these two locations, more than 35,000 affordable housing units will be built and they are targeted to be completed in 15 years.

“The construction would employ the Prefabricated Prefinished Volumetric Construction (PPVC) method, making Penang the first state to adopt this approach under the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) framework.”

Chow had also highlighted that the project would include facilities such as a swimming pool, a gym, a multipurpose hall, and a playground. Each unit will be sold from RM225,000 to RM420,000.

“This initiative supports our efforts to retain local talent,” he said.

Source: Buletin Mutiara