High-rise condo protest at MalaysiaKini website

MalaysiaKini has an article on the Puteri 11 residents protest against the high-rise condo.

MalaysiaKini: Puteri Puchong 11 residents say no to slope development

Some 530 residents at Bandar Puteri Puchong 11 voiced their protest against the proposed high-density development in the midst of two slopes, worried the land will not be able to support heavy buildings.

Puteri Puchong 11 residents’ association chairman Chiam Tun Cheng said the upper slope has exceeded 35 degrees in gradient and was hit with several landslides before.

"The slope collapsed last year and was then reinforced with a retention wall. We are worroed about the safety if they build such high-rise buildings over there,"

The proposed development by developer at the slender strip of land nearby Bayu Puteri Puchong and Puteri 11 includes two 18-storey buildings, one 19-storeycondominium, two 4-storey building and one 2-storey clubhouse.

The proposed high-rise buildings are located in between two slopes.

Besides prompting safety concerns, the residents also bemoan the traffic woes they might suffer.

"Currently we are sharing the same two-lane road with Bayu Puteri (condominium) residents, which is already congested because many Bayu Puteri residents park their cars by the side of the road,"

"Now we see the new project will also use the same road as the entrance, my question is, how (is that road) going to accommodate such traffic?"

He said the proposed project will see another 2110 residents coming in if fully occupied and will make the crooked road the only access route for all 5730 residents.

Going in and out is already an uneasy job for the residents now.

Two agents apparently supported the residents’ opinion. The department of drainage and irrigation in its letter dated March 31, 2009 said they do not support the project because they do not agree with the proposed on-site detention (OSD).

Infrastructure solution provider IKRAM meanwhile suggested that the project should be revised to a low-density one seeing that the site is steep in its surface and the buffer zone is not enough for high-rise buildings.

The residents, who mostly moved in during 2009, first saw the development notice board erected in June, 2009.

"We are surprised that what stated on the notice board was not the same as what we were (told).

"When we bought our houses, we were shown this township model (showing) this piece of land will only be turned into some five-storey buildings,"

"All Primrose, Olivia and Nadia purchasers were even convinced with the brochures that they would be able to enjoy a panorama view of the whole town,"

"If they build such high-rise condominiums, how are we going to have our view?"

The purchasers were promised a spacious panorama view in the brochures.

The residents submitted their protest to MPSJ and went for the council meeting with the developer twice. In the second meeting after both JPS and IKRAM suggestions were presented, the developer revised it into two even higher buildings instead of three.

"The residents are against any high-density development, we can only accept a low-rise one," Chiam said.

He meanwhile said the residents are still willing to discuss the issue with the developer to reach an amicable solution.