By TAN KARR WEI and JASTIN AHMAD TARMIZI
RESIDENTS of Section 17 in Petaling Jaya are concerned over a proposal to build a multi-storey service apartment complex in Jalan 17/27.
Currently, a car parking lot and a small park are occupying the piece of land near the site of the Section 17 morning market. In the evening, the market area becomes an open-air eating place with food and drink stalls.
Resident Tang Chee Keong, 71, pointed out that the roads connecting the area to the main road were narrow and the place was not conducive for a high-density development.
Not conducive: A public carpark is now occupying the piece of land
on which the 18-storey service apartment block would be built.
“Even now, cars are double-parked all over the place because of the market and the food stalls,” he said.
Shem Ngow Chai, 59, who lives in Jalan 17/44, said the development project would be too near a row of houses.
“The proposed building is too tall for an area such as this. It will worsen the parking problems in the areas. I sometimes reach home to find a car parked right in front of my house,” Shem said.
Raymond Hon, 55, said the infrastructure was built in the 1960s when there were fewer cars and people and the area would not be able to accommodate such a project.
“Even the electricity, water and sewerage systems would not be able to accommodate such a project,” Hon said.
Going: The previous land owner has allowed the MBPJ to build
this park temporarily for the residents to use and this would make
way for the proposed 18-storey service apartments.
According to Tang, some residents have been invited to a meeting with project developer and the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) at the service centre of Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee.
“Only some of us were called to attend the meeting while many of the other residents were not informed about it,” he said.
There are also plans to build a permanent structure for the market and food stall traders.
Petaling Jaya Community and Hawkers Association of Section 17 chairman Lim Keh Seng, 61, said the apartment block would affect the hawkers as they would have to relocate their business operation.
“The developer said that it will build loading bays for the traders but it will not be enough for all the lorries parked in the area in the morning,” Lim said.
An officer from the MBPJ planning department has confirmed that the developer had submitted building plans for the project.
“We’ve had many rounds of discussion with the market and food stall traders and residents.
“During those meetings, we decided that a representative from each road, each row of shop lots and the traders should be appointed to facilitate further discussions,” the MBPJ offier said.
The officer said the MBPJ did send out letters to residents affected by the development project, even to those living beyond the 20m radius required by law.
He said this case was a bit more complicated because Jalan 17/29 had been gazetted for use as a market.
According to Lee, the developer has had about five rounds of discussions with the shop owners and and traders directly affected by the project.
“The immediate stake-holders have been consulted. The others living in the area will also have their chance to voice their views,” Lee said.
He said improving the market had always been a priority for the area, even during the term of the previous assemblyman.
“If everything is properly done, there will be proper management of garbage.
“The proposed two-storey market structure will house the market traders on the ground floor and the food stalls on the upper floor. The number of lots will be according to the existing numbers,” Lee said.
He said some residents were also happy that there would be a proper recycling centre at the new building to replace the existing one operated by the Rukun Tetangga at one of the fields.
“If the residents have valid grounds for objection to the development, then the government should take notice and get expert advice,” Lee said.
He said the traffic impact assessment report for the project seemed quite feasible.
“The pre-development consultations are important so that once the plans are submitted, most needs will be addressed,” Lee said.
A spokesman for the developer said the company wanted to work with residents, shop owners and traders to iron out all the problems before starting construction.
“We will build the market and hand it over to the MBPJ to maintain. The number of car parks to be built would comply with the MBPJ requirements and there will be a basement car park for the public,” the spokesman said.
“We will also work with the residents’ representatives to discuss the traffic problems,” he said.
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