PKNS told to address concerns and resubmit application

The Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) wants PKNS to prove that its plan to redevelop the sports complex in SS7, Petaling Jaya, is sensitive to its surrounding and residents before the council can consider their application.

“The application has not been tabled at the OSC (One-Stop Centre). The public hearing was held last week and they will need to prove that the residents’ concerns raised during the session have been addressed when they re-submit their application,” said mayor Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman.

He said the developer would need to show that all issues arising from traffic, land use and high density had been considered and rectified.

MBPJ councillor Derek Fernandez said they applied for a plot ratio of six which is legally impossible to give because the maximum allowable plot ratio for that area under optimum conditions was four, according to the gazetted local plan.

“Besides, they are applying for apartments when the land title is commercial. They should apply for service apartments instead.

Derek said if PKNS resubmitted their application, a public hearing would be called again to allow the residents to make comments especially in relation to the major issue of traffic congestion and lower quality of life.

SS7 neighbourhood action committee chairman, Datuk Zul Mukhshar Md Shaari said he doubted that PKNS would withdraw their application as Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim had mentioned that the land’s high value could earn PKNS a profit to be invested into other social projects like building affordable homes.

Selangor MCA Public Complaints Bureau chief Datuk Theng Book said the state government must ensure that the project would benefit the people, especially the middle income group.

“The developer may be asked to reduce the density but we still want the project to benefit the middle- income group that struggles to have their own house, or keep the area green.”

Seri Setia assemblyman Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said if the plan to redevelop the sport complex stayed, PKNS should start over with a clean slate.

“I hope the state government and PKNS will hold a townhall meeting with the residents before they resubmit the plan,” he said.

The 30-year-old PKNS sports complex which has a field, six tennis courts and a clubhouse was planned to be redeveloped into a mixed-development project comprising seven 35-storey apartment blocks and two 10-storey office blocks and a 15-storey business block.

The development on the 7.6ha site, a joint venture between Melati Ehsan Holdings Bhd and PKNS, is expected to cost more than RM1bil.

PKNS stands to pocket some RM384mil, or 70% of the total projected gross profits from the actual sales value of the development over a period of eight years ending December 2019. The developer, Melati Ehsan, will also pocket a profit from the sales of whatever it builds on the site.

By The Star