GEORGE TOWN: The state government has clarified an online posting by blogger Anil Netto that the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) has frozen high-rise density development.

Instead, State Local Government and Traffic Management Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said the guidelines for developers who want to build 87 units of houses per 0.4ha were still being fine-tuned, and not frozen as suggested by the blogger.

Chow stressed that applicants would find it more difficult after the fine-tuning is completed and enforced, as new conditions would be imposed on them.

“Applicants would be required to submit a Traffic Impact Assessment (TIA), and reveal whether the communal facilities would be surrendered to MPPP or not.

“They will have to submit a TIA report in their applications, to propose measures to be taken on alleviating traffic congestion when their projects are completed.

“Hopefully, they (the council) can complete the fine-tuning and sent it to the state planning committee to be adopted soon,” he said when met yesterday here.

He noted that several applications, which were also submitted before the fine-tuning, were still being considered.

He said that since the original guidelines were adopted by MPPP in 2010, only one project was approved under the category of 87 units per 0.4ha.

When contacted, Anil said his posting was based on the remarks by the MPPP president Datuk Patahiyah Ismail at a meeting with the representatives of the Penang Forum, which is a platform attended by non-governmental organisations here.

Anil said the forum participants had scheduled a meeting with Chow today.

Source: The Star