He added that talks were under way with developers to ensure that buildings were well planned to create more open spaces and for better infrastructure such as pedestrian walkways.

“We want buildings to be connected to each other, more trees and greenery, and walkways that link to public transportation systems such as the monorail, LRT and MRT,’’ he added.

Ahmad Phesal said they were negotiating with the developers to ensure future buildings in Kuala Lumpur are linked to each other, and are connected to the public transportation system to spur business and add value to the development in the future.

Maintaining green policy

Dispelling talk that more open space would be sacrificed, Ahmad Phesal reiterated that DBKL would not compromise on its green policy and that special incentives would be given to developers who promote green living.

He explained that DBKL imposed guidelines on developers to ensure that 10% of their total area was set aside for green space.

“We won’t sacrifice our green policy. Developers must provide a minimum of 10%, for green space at ground level, and if it’s not possible on the ground, they have to ensure that space is allocated inside or at the podium level.

On the possibility of having developments that incorporate rooftop and vertical gardens such as those in Singapore and Europe, Ahmad Phesal said there were several proposals to incorporate them as part of the Government’s initiative for more green belts within the city centre.

More to be built: A view of brickfields, one of the areas identified for the development of skyscrapers. — filepic

More to be built: A view of brickfields, one of the areas identified for the development of skyscrapers. — filepic

He added that the draft Kuala Lumpur City Plan 2020 laid out a series of goals and policies to achieve environmental, social and economic development simultaneously for Kuala Lumpur, therefore enhancing green network and blue corridor where parks, green space, and rivers will benefit cities tremendously.

“The River of Life (RoL) project is coming along well. Ekovest (Properties Sdn Bhd) will develop 5.9ha of land within Precinct 1 under the RoL.

“Here the land along the river near Setapak and Gombak will be transformed into a vibrant recreation area,’’ he said.

“We will leverage on our rivers and parks to create a socially, economically and environmentally-friendly city.

“My vision is to see a network of high quality, accessible parks and green spaces that promote recreation, health, education and economic regeneration, to make Kuala Lumpur a significantly more attractive city in which to live and work,’’ he said.

Protecting heritage buildings

Another crucial element that cannot be ignored is heritage. Ahmad Phesal acknowledged that the colonial and heritage buildings in Kuala Lumpur were unique and special and were an asset to the country.

“As we are striving to reach the top 20 liveable cities of the world, we recognise the importance of protecting places with significant cultural heritage as a way to enhance the city’s sense of identity and preserve our history for future generations,’’ he said.

Site for development: Bok House (pic), a neo-Classical mansion in Kuala Lumpur, was demolished in 2006. A 60-storey tower has been approved at the location where the former mansion used to stand. — filepic

 Site for development: Bok House (pic), a neo-Classical mansion in Kuala Lumpur, was demolished in 2006. A 60-storey tower has been approved at the location where the former mansion used to stand. — filepic

“We appreciate buildings such as the Vivekananda Ashram and old buildings such as Sultan Abdul Samad, which is why we have now started an inventory identifying old buildings with heritage value.

“Currently we have indentified Jalan Raja, Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, Leboh Pasar, and Lebuh Ampang as heritage zones.
Ahmad Phesal elaborated that DBKL was talking to the building owners in Lebuh Ampang and Jalan TAR on maintaining the spirit and ambience as well as the heritage elements of the respective areas when doing upgrading work.

“We have told them that they can only develop until the 14th floor, but must retain the ambience of the place,’’ he said, adding that DBKL would spend between RM10 and RM20mil to conserve old buildings in Sungai Besi.


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