重发拒山坡高楼信件引混淆 芭堤雅致歉

（槟城1日讯）槟岛市政局主席芭堤雅透露，虽然在槟州结构蓝图中，允许“特别计划”在山坡地段进行，但在海拔超过76米或250尺，斜度25度的山坡上，却只能进行有限的发展，以及也必须实施更严厉的监管，以确保有关发展符合遵守州政府所拟定山坡发展指南，并且也必须提呈环境评估报告及获得州策划委员会的批准。

不符环境评估批准条例

她进一步解释，虽然新港一项22层楼高的小山坡发展计划是属于“特别计划”，可是却不符合“特别计划”的定义，即（1）没有获槟州风险地段管理委员会批准地质报告、（2）未持没有地势图报告、（3）没有遵守山坡地段发展指南、（4）发展建议申请不符合环境评估批准的条例。

她说，槟岛市政局于今年7月12日已致函新港山坡发展计划的发展商，通知该局于今年6月19日已否决有关的计划，并列明否决的5大理由，但由于有关信件过于“简单”，没有斜坡进一步的解释，所以已引起一些混淆，以及也造成一些人士的误解。她指出，在这种情况下，该局已取消于7月12日的信件，于今日（8月1日）寄发另一信件予有关的发展商。她强调，该局较早所寄发的信件，并没有任何的错误，只是没有作进一步的解释。

都将接获市局重发信件

她继透露，上述山坡发展计划的发展商及反对者都将接获该局重新寄发的信件。她对于该局较早寄发信件中所使用词句所引起的混淆，深感抱歉。“新港山坡发展计划虽然已被否决，发展商可在30天内向上诉局提出上诉，而如果上诉得直，有关发展计划已遵守一切所规定的条例，发展商在重新提出申请时，我们也将重新处理这项申请。”由于有关发展商已向上诉局提出上诉，所以她不愿对此计划作进一步的置评。她是于周三在一项新闻发布会上，澄清时如此指出。- 光华

张瀚中：避免双重标准 山坡计划喊停是好事

（槟城1日讯）在槟州民政党召开记者会抨击槟州政府选择性批准新港双威城山坡发展计划的当儿，另一边槟岛市局主席芭提雅即公布首长已喊停该计划,槟州民政党宣传局主任张瀚中事后表示，以正面角度看待，喊停是好事！截至截稿时间，由于无法联络上民政党槟州地方政府事务局主任郑两明，张瀚中受询时表示，这项喊停之前并无人知晓，但首长喊停是好事，总不能出现双重标准，槟州结构大蓝图是最终标准，但要避免重犯错误。在较早前的记者会上，郑两明针对新港两项山坡发展计划，抨击槟州政府双重制度，选择性地批准“心头好”发展商。

他说，今年在新港两项违反槟州结构大蓝图规定，即超过海拔250尺（76公尺）或斜度超过25度的双威城及Palmex山坡计划中，却有不一样的“命运”，双威城计划已经获批，但Palmex计划被拒绝。“今年2月21日获批的双威城计划（Lot 14345），将新建14栋高级公寓，分别9至18层楼高，92个三层楼别墅单位，及两个4、5层楼高的俱乐部单位，占地80.9英亩，倾斜度23至35度。”他补充，此计划是基于槟州结构大蓝图中的“特别计划”（Projek Istimewa）被批准，然而“特别计划”是给予特殊的山坡发展计划如公共设施等，绝不是作为商业、住宅等发展。

他说，据槟岛市政局信函了解，只有1栋22层楼公寓的Palmex计划（Lot 14317），是抵触槟州结构大蓝图中DK3及DSU 10 L1政策，基于海拔250尺以上及斜度超过25度，兴建有关房屋及商业计划，以及灾难高风险区，于6月19日被拒。他因而不解，同样违反山坡发展禁令、涉及更大面积的双威城计划竟然获批准，但Palmex计划却被拒绝。他认为这是对民不公平的决定，州政府采用双重制度，若Palmex计划不被批准，双威城计划同样应该被拒绝，不容许歧视性质的制度。

他望州政府别再归咎于前朝政府，他透露，双威城计划发展商是于2009年以非常低的价格买下山坡地，根据2007年所定下的槟州结构大蓝图，当时猫政府就不该批准了。“州政府也不该置之当地居民不理，居民对此发展计划上诉的同时，面对损失及担心，再来，若双威城计划造成灾难发生，谁要承担？我们要求州政府立刻‘收回成命’，取回双威城计划准证。”郑两明是于周二早在民政党总部召开记者会时，如是指出。出席者包括宣传局主任张瀚中、青年团槟州副团长陈嘉亮及秘书曾丽施。- 光华

MPPP has wide powers, says Lakhbir

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) has wide powers to approve, reject, revoke or modify planning permission and building plan applications, said former senior local government employee Datuk Lakhbir Singh Chahl.

He said the Town and Country Planning Act and Street, Drainage and Building Act empowered the council to define uses of land and buildings while also compelling compliance by developers.

“The laws clearly state that the council shall take into consideration matters that in its opinion are ‘expedient or necessary for proper planning’.

“If the proposed development is located in an area where no local plan exists, the owners of the neighbouring lands have a right to object to the application and to state their grounds of objection.

“The local planning authority can even request that the applicant submit a development proposal report with details such as the concept, justification and analysis of social implications,” he said.

Lakhbir started his career as Penang’s Rural District Council secretary in 1968. His last post was as MPPP secretary. He was also director of the first Penang Island Structure Plan Committee.

On June 15, MPPP president Datuk Patahiyah Ismail said there had been no new approval for hillslope development projects on the island since Pakatan Rakyat came into power in 2008.

She said 19 “special projects” were approved after 2008 but the planning permission for these projects were granted in 1996 under the Penang Structure Plan 2007.

She said the developer could renew it annually up to five times.

Lakhbir, who is a lawyer, said an approved planning permission was valid for a year and the council was under “no obligation” to renew the application for an extension of the planning permission if within that time, the development had not commenced in the manner specified.

“The local planning authority is under no compulsion to automatically approve any application for extension or renewal of a plan approved,” he said.

Penang municipal councillor Dr Lim Mah Hui said there should never be any automatic renewal of planning permission that had lapsed.

“The council must review the entire project every time a renewal of the planning permission is applied for,” he said.

Former MPPP councillor Lim Kah Cheng said she would address public grievances in relation to hillslope and high-density development at a dialogue with Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng on Saturday.

The dialogue will be held at the Caring Society Complex from 2pm to 5pm. Admission is free. - The Star

成隆机构槟大展拳脚 并购中路4黄金地

(槟城31日讯)继成功入主“峇央珍珠”（Bayan Mutiara）百依格黄金地以发展“槟城世界城”后，吉隆坡上市公司“成隆机构”（DIJACOR，5401，主板产业组）在槟城继续大展拳脚，将势力“伸入”乔治市中路，据称已成功并购4块总面积高达逾2万平方尺贵地，以发展为双栋大楼的酒店公寓。
与义香饼家合作或触礁
在中路门牌匾216号的“义香饼家”所在产业地，即已成为成隆机构拟同时收购的毗连地皮，以为双栋大楼制造最佳的发展面积，在义香毗邻的4块地已陆续落入成隆机构手中后，对方也在数月前开始与义香接洽，向对方开出条件，以便能最终完成并购计划，然而消息说迄今义香对计划兴趣缺缺，双方合作或触礁。
据了解，在中路已成为成隆机构囊中物的4大连接地皮分别依序是义香饼家毗邻的前“江南人家”餐馆洋楼建筑、一片已夷平的空地、现尚有一栋旧式洋楼所在地以及另一片毗邻空地。上述已并购的地分别深50公尺，长150公尺，相等于2万4750平方尺。
由于中路已获准高楼高密度发展，使到成隆机构的上述高楼发展计划将在新规定下无阻通过。成隆机构为一家上市公司，公司总执行长丹斯里陈志成也是成功集团首脑丹斯里陈志远胞弟，而成隆机构是本地玮力产业（Ivory Properties）的财务伙伴，在其屋业发展中都会出现Dijaya字眼，比如Island Resorts公寓计划等。- 光

Real estate back in favour

It’s in demand again with signs of US housing market bottoming out

LONDON: Treated by many as a pariah after the US subprime collapse triggered the 2007 global financial crisis, real estate is increasingly bouncing back with insurance, pension and sovereign wealth funds.

The evaporation of interest rates on high-quality government bonds is encouraging asset managers to look again at prime real estate properties and stocks, where they find returns far outshooting socalled “safe” sovereigns.

Sovereign wealth funds are a US$4 trillion business and pension funds cover more than US$30 trillion, so even a small shift could move billions away from lower-yielding and more volatile assets.

Top-of-the-crop commercial and residential properties from London to Bangkok are in demand and there are signs of a bottoming out in the US housing market, prompting major investors to buy foreclosed homes to rent.

Comeback: Interest in real estate has returned, as can be seen from the housing front in New York to Paris. Prime property in major cities has seen its strongest growth since 2010 in the second quarter. – Reuters

A sign of increasing interest in the sector can be seen in real estate funds, which have attracted more fresh money than other sectors this year, according to fundtracker EPFR Global.

Andrew Economos, head of sovereign and institutional strategy for JP Morgan Asset Management in Asia, says sovereign wealth funds are particularly active.

“Sovereign wealth funds are looking for positive yields and they are finding anywhere between 5% and 7% in real estate. They are getting yield on purchase as well as capital appreciation,” he said.

“They are diversifying across real estate into commercial, trophy properties as well as REITs (real estate investment trusts),” he said. REITs are securities sold like a stock and which invest in real estate properties or mortgages.

In one of the most recent high-end deals, Norway's sovereign wealth fund teamed up last month with Italian insurance giant Assicurazioni Generali to manage prime office and retail properties worth 550 million euros in central Paris.

Norway's sovereign wealth fund NBIM, which holds assets worth about 3.6 trillion Norwegian crowns (US$598.93bil), plans to raise real estate assets to as much as 5% of its overall portfolio from 0.3% at the end of March.

China's US$482bil sovereign wealth fund Investment Corp said on Wednesday this was one of the sectors it was now focusing on.

One way that investors are tapping the real estate market is through stocks and real estate investment trusts, which offer substantially higher dividend yields than sovereigns in areas spanning from Europe and the United States to Japan.

Dividend yields for stocks listed on the MSCI real estate index for the eurozone reach nearly 7%, according to Thomson Reuters Data-Stream, which beats by far negative or near zero yields for government bonds in core countries Germany or France. This is also higher than other sought-after assets including corporate bonds, which offer an overall yield of 3.24% on the iBoxx index.

The MSCI real estate eurozone index is up 13.1% since the beginning of the year compared with 2% for the overall MSCI index for the region, Data-Stream shows.

Yields on prime commercial or real estate housing the actual property rather than stocks vary widely but analysts give estimates of an average 35% for the best property in Europe.

“Certainly the work that we have done on an advisory basis to clients in the past three to four months has highlighted the importance of property in their portfolios,” said Ken Adams, global strategist at Scottish Widows Investment Partnership.

That market is highly polarised, however, with anything less than outstanding properties offering long leases with financially sound tenants in sought-after areas being spurned by investors put off by recession and the euro debt crisis and prices for these more secondary assets falling.

Commercial real estate, which had widely collapsed in the wake of the subprime crisis, was competing with other high-yield assets such as emerging market bonds and must offer the safety of a high-quality bond with better yields to attract investors such as pension funds, said John Danes, property research director at UK fund manager Aberdeen Asset Management.

“The return has to be very financially secure, with long leases and if there is some kind of inflation link as well, all the better,” said Danes, adding that he had seen increased interest across sectors, from long-let retail and offices to British supermarkets, which he said offer financially solid tenants and yields of 4.55%.

In the birthplace of the subprime crisis, in the United States, a number of investors are focusing on the opportunities that have been created in housing.

Blackstone Group LP has spent more than US$300mil to purchase over 2,000 foreclosed homes to rent and bet on a recovery of the US housing market, the firm said in mid-July.

Although analysts forecast any growth in the US housing market would be sluggish and it could take 10 years or more to go back to 2006 peak levels, commercial housing had seen nine consecutive quarters of uninterrupted improvement with vacancies down and rents up, said Citi analyst Jeff Berenbaum.

“Yields are in the high 3% to low 4% range for the strongest properties,” he said.

“For a risky market like commercial housing that's pretty historically low but if you compare with treasury yields, it's still a pretty wide spread.”

On the housing front globally, prime property in major cities has seen its strongest growth since 2010 in the second quarter, with a 1.3% growth in the year to June, according to Knight Frank's prime global cities index, which tracks the top 5% of mainstream markets. Reuters

Rescind consent for Sg Ara hillside project, state told

GEORGE TOWN: The state government should revoke and withdraw the planning permission given to the developer of a hillside project in Sungai Ara as the area is still pristine.

Penang Gerakan local government bureau head Teh Leong Meng said as the custodian of the laws here, the state has the power to revoke the approval given to the developer since no clearing activities have started at the hillside.

“Claims that the state might have to fork out compensation to the developer or face a suit is just an excuse to mislead the people.”

He said the Penang Structure Plan (PSP) 2005-2009 was gazetted in June 2007 and he was made to understand that the developer had bought the 32.7ha land in 2009.

“When the developer bought the land, the company should have been aware of the clause in the PSP which explicitly forbids and disallows any residential, commercial or industrial development on hill land above 76m or where the slope exceeds 25 degrees.

“So, what compensation is the state talking about?” he asked.

Teh also said the council claimed that the project in Sungai Ara was approved under the PSP’s ‘special projects’.

“If approved as a special project, which is an escape clause, then it would have had the approval of the State Planning Committee of which the Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng is the chairman.

“So, how come in a report in The Star on June 7, the Chief Minister said that the state had not approved any development above 76m while council head Patahiyah Ismail said the council had approved 19 special projects between April 2008 and May this year?” - The Star

Conservation no simple matter Experts to talk on proper ways to care for heritage buildings

THOSE trying to conserve heri-tage buildings properly must be aware of making common mistakes which can spoil the structure of the buildings.

Certain modifications often do more harm than good, said Dr Donald Ellsmore, the Austra- lasia Chapter convenor of the Association for Preservation Tech-nology International.

Citing air-conditioning, he points out that such additions had an impact on moisture movement, which could then affect parts of the structure.

He said these issues stemmed from a lack of basic understanding as well as the tendency to turn to technology as a quick fix for problems.

“It is like treating a sickness with drugs, but not understanding what is actually wrong.

“You address only the symptoms, but not the cause. This may make you feel better but you never get well.

“We need to help people re-learn how a building functions, what the design elements are, and how best to care for them,” said Dr Ellsmore who is also an Associate Professor at the University of Melbourne.

Dr Ellsmore, together with University of Hong Kong Conserva-tion Laboratory manager Gesa Schwantes and local heritage architect and conservationist Laurence Loh, will be speaking at a George Town World Heritage Incorporated (GTWHI) seminar in Penang this Saturday.

Titled ‘Materials and Processes in the Conservation of Heritage Buildings’, it will be held at the Wawasan Open University starting 9am, and is open free to the public.

GTWHI education and outreach manager Sunitha Janamohanan said the seminar sought to help increase basic understanding of the conservation process, and what it means in practice.

With heritage buildings in George Town being bought, sold and restored at an ever-increasing pace since the Unesco inscription, her organisation believes it is imperative that people have good knowledge of conservation.

Dr Ellsmore cautioned that there were many risks that came with a Unesco listing.

These include the arrival of more tourists and the modification of structures to cater to the tourism industry can strip heritage buildings of their original character and purpose.

“It is important that the people of George Town move slowly in capitalising on these opportunities.

“They need to ensure that decisions are grounded in community support and rational thinking.

“Heritage should never be ex-ploited, as it is owned by the local community.

“There is nothing like George Town elsewhere in the world,” he said in an interview at the GTWHI office.

Schwantes added that the multi-cultural make-up of Penang’s community had resulted in diverse architectural influences that make the city unique, and better understanding of these elements would go a long way towards keeping Penang’s charm.

“When making any changes or repairs, you always want to use materials that are similar to the original and will not have an adverse impact on the overall structure.

“The climate and high humidity creates lots of problems for building owners, so it is important that remedial works are carried out correctly,” she said.

To register for the seminar, email edu@gtwhi.com.my or call 04-2616606. - The Star

Plans for Heritage Square in Penang

GEORGE TOWN: The state government and Penang Development Corporation (PDC) plan to transform a 1.82ha plot of land, including the old Sia Boey market here, into Penang’s new heritage enclave.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the new enclave would be known as Heritage Square, a project under the Komtar Phase Five development.

He said the move was in line with George Town’s World Heritage Listing and would complement the revitalisation of Komtar as a socio-civic centre and business hub of the state.

“It will be a complete makeover and it will predominantly be used as a public space,” he said after visiting Sia Boey in Lebuh Tek Soon yesterday.

Lim said the project had five major elements – restoration and expansion of Sia Boey (Prangin Market), creation of urban spaces, a heritage celebration square and an iconic George Town heritage centre, reinstatement and adaptive reuse of old shophouses and restoration of the Prangin Canal.

“The square and centre will restore the cultural vibrancy of George Town by promoting living heritage and street life as well as green the city to ensure balanced development in the area,” he said.

Lim, who is also PDC chairman, said the draft plans would be open to the public next week.

“The draft is subject to changes. We want to make public viewing available before Hari Raya Aidilfitri,” he said.

The revitalisation would include a visitors’ centre, crafts and souvenir retail areas, flowers and food hubs.

“PDC will build an adjacent market to complement the existing one. It will be a “dry” market instead of “wet” one,” Lim said.

He said existing shophouses along Maxwell Road would undergo adaptive reuse into cafes, coffeeshops, teahouses, handicraft centres, mini museums, boutiques and B&B hotels in line with the heritage ambience and theme of the area.

A five-storey building would be erected to add to the vibrancy of the square.

Lim also said that the restoration of the Prangin Canal would include plans for a hawker street food zone and street furniture in well-landscaped areas. - The Star

槟政府归还公共空间予人民 打造社尾万山成古迹广场

（槟城31日讯）废置已久的旧社尾万山，在光大第5期发展计划中将摇身变成“槟州古迹广场”（Heritage Square），让曾经是槟州最大蔬果批发市场的社尾万山重拾光彩！
槟州首长林冠英周二在社尾万山旧址召开记者会时宣布有关计划，并表示这是槟州政府决定归还公共空间予槟州子民，也是回馈人民的计划之一。
他说，槟州政府和槟州发展机构（PDC）所计划发展的古迹广场将占地4.5英亩，这也将是槟州古迹新景点。这同时也是配合乔治市被列为世界文化遗产，以及配合槟州发展机构“复兴光大”计划，成为新的商业中心。
他透露，这块位于乔治市中心的黄金地段将会成为公共空间，而这别具一格的古迹广场含有5大元素，即：一）社尾万山的修复及扩建；二）创造城市空间；三）创造古迹庆典广场及乔治市古迹中心的标志(GHC);四）古迹及老店屋的修复及重新启用；五）港仔墘运河(Prangin Canal)的修复。- 光华

市局列出5大否决因素 新港22层山坡豪寓再触礁

（槟城30日讯）知名跨国公司IOI集团在槟城的一项高楼计划触礁，面对地方政府否决其拟在新港山坡地进行的22层楼高豪华公寓计划。继双威集团（Sunway Group）在新港“双威城”（Sunway City）计划，遭槟州首长林冠英援引槟州策划委员会（SPC）主席权力喊停后，槟岛市政局也已否决由知名富商丹斯里李深静领导的IOI集团在新港的一项22层楼高小山坡发展计划。
5年前曾被否决
市政局在6月19日的会议上，否决IOI集团下子公司Palmex工业在新港的Palmex计划，据了解该计划的规划图早在2008年即5年前被否决，并在今年6月再次遭市政局以多个条文否定，造成计划上路难关重重。上述计划也是新港蒂莎迪雅（Desa Ria）居民发动反对双溪城山坡地发展计划下，同一个面对反对的山坡地计划。
虽然不同双溪威计划的庞大，不过Palmex计划也因地处山坡地，而面对居民的抗议行动。蒂莎迪雅居民即在今年与林冠英会面时，在获首长承诺否决双溪城计划时，同时提出反对Palmex计划，造成计划面对过关争议。据悉，Palmex计划是市政局援引数个违规因素下否定，在市政局规划部主管罗斯兰致给Palmex发展公司负责人吴亚秀（译音，Goh Ah Siew）的公文中，即列出5大否决因素。
不符环境评估
有关否决的因素，包括有关计划不符合d 2007年6月28日宪报上公布的2020年槟州结构大蓝图（RSN），未持有槟州高风险土地发展委员会所批准的地质报告书、未持没有地势图报告、无建筑适当性计划以及工地调查报告，同时不符2008年山坡地发民指南。此外，它也不符合1992年环境评估报告书的规定。而早在2008年8月6日、市政局在否决有关计划列出的理由，同样包括不符合结构大蓝图、未获得高风险土地委员会的批准公文、槟州环境局不支持、未能迎合分层地地契第6条款、不符合多个政府机构如公共工程机构等的批文条件。光华