Ipoh Sentral: Priority for recreational park to open before commercial projects, says Loke

• "What is the point of this development if the local people cannot enjoy it. For the people of Perak, especially those in Ipoh, I have set a condition for the developer, that within six to 12 months, we want to deliver the first phase of this recreational park to be open to the public. So the developer must remember this as one of the key conditions.”

IPOH (Aug 16): The developer of the Ipoh Sentral project site has been reminded to complete the construction of a recreational park first before developing any commercial projects.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook (pictured) said the construction of the recreational park is among the first phase in construction plans for the Ipoh Sentral project which is expected to be completed within a year.

He said the condition was set by the government to ensure that local people experience the benefits of development in line with the aspirations of Malaysia Madani.

"We want developers to prioritise the public first, which is our condition...we have to deliver the recreational park to the local community first before they can pursue profits even though this park brings no financial gain to the developer.

"What is the point of this development if the local people cannot enjoy it. For the people of Perak, especially those in Ipoh, I have set a condition for the developer, that within six to 12 months, we want to deliver the first phase of this recreational park to be open to the public. So the developer must remember this as one of the key conditions,” he said during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Ipoh Sentral project here on Saturday.

The ceremony was officiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim together with Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad, and was also attended by MRCB Land chairman Tan Sri Mohd Annuar Zaini.

Loke said the project, which is located adjacent to the Ipoh train station, will be developed using the transit oriented development (TOD) concept by integrating rail, bus, taxi and e-hailing services, and pedestrian and cycling lanes.

“This development concept is in line with the aspirations of Malaysia Madani and the National Transport Master Plan, and supports the direction of the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), which makes TOD the key driver of urban growth.

“This approach promotes sustainable lifestyles, reduces traffic congestion, concentrates development around stations and transport hubs, and strengthens the role of public transport as one of the people’s main choices,” he said.

Meanwhile, he said during the 13MP presentation two weeks ago, the prime minister had announced that the government had targeted 30 TODs to be implemented within five years, and the project was the first TOD to be launched following the announcement.

He said the Ipoh Sentral project is being developed on 66.651 acres (27 hectares) of land with an estimated gross development value of RM6.2 billion and would be a modern transportation hub connecting various modes of travel.

The project is being implemented in two phases. Phase 1 involves the preservation of a 6.31-acre green space including landscape enhancement and recreational parks, while Phase 2 is a mixed development on 60.341 acres with an estimated development period of 20 years.

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