Controversial Forest City project approved
Malaysia's Department of Environment (DOE) has given the developer of the Forest City project in Johor the green light to go-ahead with the reclamation and construction of its RM600 billion (S$222 billion) project, reported the media.
Last June, work on the project had been suspended after both sides of the borders raised concerns over the projects environmental impact. All parties have been waiting for DOEs final verdict since then.
Notably, Singapore has expressed its concerns over the project on several occasions to the Malaysian government, requesting for more information on the construction and reclamation works.
Last Friday, the DOE announced that it had approved the Forest City project.
On Wednesday, Country Garden Pacific View (CGPV), the master developer of the project, said reclamation works will continue, although the total size of the project was slightly reduced from 1,623 ha to 1,386 ha (3,425 acres).
Our next step is to ensure that all compliance monitoring, in terms of air, noise, water quality and sediment, are robustly implemented and carried out, said CGPV executive director Datuk Md. Othman.
The Forest City is a mixed development project featuring commercial and residential lots. The project will see four-man made islands built in Tanjung Kupang waters between north-west Singapore and south-west of Johor.
Upon completion, it is expected that new job opportunities will be created for vast numbers of citizens, said Md Othman.
In its release, CGPV noted that the development will diversity the local communities income base by providing workshops as well as training schools in various sectors.
The project will also rejuvenate the areas infrastructure, by constructing a new access road, water reticulation systems and power stations.
CGPV is a joint venture between China property developer Country Garden and Esplanade Danga 88 Sdn Bhd, whose main shareholder is Johors Sultan Ibrahim Ismail.
Also a partner to the project is Johor state company Kumpulan Prasarana Rakyat Johor (KPRJ).
Farah Wahida, Editor of PropertyGuru Malaysia, wrote this story. To contact her about this or other stories emailfarahwahida@propertyguru.com.my
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