Penang revives affordable housing project in Paya Terubong

GEORGE TOWN (Sept 10): The Penang government ‎has revived a 28-year-old project to build affordable housing, shop lots and a four-storey market and hawker complex in Paya Terubong.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the state had entered into a new agreement with Patsifit Construction Sdn Bhd, in line with the state’s aim to build more affordable housing for the people of Penang.

“Construction will begin early next year. The developer will present all the plans for approval within a month from today (Sept 7)‎," he said at press conference in Penang.

The public market, he said, was expected to be completed next year and the project fully completed by 2018.

"The new proposal places the homes in the more affordable price range of under RM280,000 for 850sq ft, compared with the previous proposal, where the homes were more expensive,” he said.

Under the new proposal, one block with 205 housing units, two blocks of a double-storey office lots and a market complex will be built.

Lim said the previous proposal to develop the 16.6ha of land was not fully completed because the developer Bina Nusa Sdn Bhd was declared bankrupt.

“The 1,570 low-cost and 1,420 medium-cost homes were constructed with no problems and they are now occupied."