BY BRENDA CH’NG

Esham (right) and Hashim handing over the memorandum and signatures to the MBPJ Council Urban Planning Department objecting to the proposed development in Jalan SS8/2.

MORE than 200 residents submitted a memorandum to Petaling Jaya mayor Mohd Azizi Mohd Zain to object to the proposed high-rise development in Jalan SS8/2 in Kelana Jaya, next to the Western Digital factory in SS7.

In the memorandum was a list of concerns to support the objections which included traffic, social and environmental impact.

“We have no objections to development on the land there but it should not be done at the expense of residents living in the vicinity,” said SS7 Lengkok Golf residents association (RA) deputy chairman Esham Salam.

Esham added that Kelana Jaya was already a mature neighbourhood, first developed in 1987 and its facilities and infrastructure were already at maximum capacity.

This includes the Damansara-Puchong Highway (LDP) and also the reduction of the lake’s capacity, which is actually meant for the purpose of flood mitigation.

“We also question the population density and plot ratio of this project because the new project will see a 300% increase in residents, and existing amenities in Kelana Jaya, such as schools, are already filled to the brim,” he said.

The proposed project will see two blocks of 59-storey and two blocks of 52-storey serviced apartments totalling 1,848 units.

Residents fear that this huge development will affect the surrounding residents even during the construction period, which will take more than six years.

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“How can residents be asked to tolerate the construction for such a long period?

“The roads leading to this development is already at capacity with traffic, what more heavy vehicles during the construction period and all the additional vehicles after construction,” he said.

In the memorandum, residents have requested that MBPJ issue a maximum two-year planning approval at any one time.

Residents further urged MBPJ to take into consideration their objections and properly study the plans before it is too late.

“We have also asked for the traffic, environmental and social impact assessments but we have not seen anything to date,” he said.

In addition, residents are worried that the sewage infrastructure will not be able to cope with the sudden population growth here.

“Can you imagine over 1,800 units sitting on 6ha while our neighbourhood which is about 250ha only has 600 houses,” said SS7 resident Hashim Aris.

Both Hashim and Esham were present at MBPJ to hand over the memorandum.

Residents were also worried about the lake beside the proposed development, where beautification works were being done by the developer.

“We realise that instead of beautifying the lake, the developer is encroaching on the lake and in the process, reducing the capacity of the lake.

“Ever since the works started there, the lake is filled to the brim with only two hours of rain, which is unusual,” Hashim said.

According to them, residents had previously been involved in meetings with MBPJ and the developer but they have not seen any concrete plans so far.