Malaysian towns and cities are relatively young compared to European cities. However, there are still many places that are ripe or approaching the need for re-generation, and redevelopment. Urban Regeneration / redevelopment is really a subset of property development, but one which is brown-field and not green-field. However, as this would be a redevelopment effort and not the development of raw land / or conversion of agricultural land, there are often unique considerations and measures different for each site. Examples are the relocation of squatters, government buildings, dealing with state and/or federal government land matters, planning issues to be co-ordinated within a tight framework to minimize capital outlay, and reduce to-market timing to the minimum.
Increasingly complex legislation and changing policies provide a challenging background for development and urban regeneration.
The Firm is pleased to have spearheaded some of the very few mid / large scale urban re-development and regeneration initiatives. We have advised / handled at least two major re-development of old townships in Malaysia, through joint development efforts with state bodies / corporations. Re-development poses non-typical development issues.
Case Studies
Redevelopment of Rawang Town
Rawang, is one of the major towns which lies to the immediate north of Kuala Lumpur, the continuous KL northward development which is separated only by a green belt. Previously, the town / commercial centre comprised mainly of pre-war double storey shops lining a few main roads together with several governmental departments thereon. The main town road, also a major federal trunk road for north-bound traffic, had become notoriously congested. Hence, the developer was commissioned to construct a new-bypass road, with overhead bridges, and in return, the state would exchange and relocate some 12 state government departments and staff quarters from state lands which were located within the town areas to more appropriate sites. The systematic relocation of otherwise pocketed parcels of government departments, gradually freed up some 74 acres of lands, albeit odd-shaped, making it possible for the developer to build some 300+ shops, built gradually over some 10 phases, together with several commercial stand-alone buildings / centres, new wet-market, bus-terminals, various amenities and to transform Rawang town to a modern thriving and focal commercial district. This re-development effort, fraught with land and social issues necessitated imaginative legal and yet commercially workable solutions within a tight timeline. Lim & Yeoh had been providing the legal support from inception, on this major re-development, spanning almost 13 years todate and which is continuing.