THE Penang government is hoping to sign an agreement with experts next month to develop the components of the Gurney Wharf project.
State Local Government, Housing, Town and Country Planning Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo said the state had several options on how to develop the land.
“Some of the components that will make up the Gurney Wharf include F&B retails, man-made beach, water taxi pier and parks, among others.
“The components will be developed in stages,” he told a press conference at Sinar Bukit Dumbar apartment today.
Jagdeep said that in accordance with the concession agreement signed between the Penang government and Tanjung Pinang Development Sdn Bhd (TPD), a subsidiary of Eastern & Oriental Berhad, TPD is to reclaim at its own cost and handover 131 acres of reclaimed land along the Gurney foreshore to the state government.
“There are two water bodies, measuring 14.5 acres in total, within the project site. The Penang government has decided to reclaim the two water bodies so that we have more land to develop facilities for the public.
“We have decided to include the reclamation of the two water bodies in the agreement that is scheduled to be signed next month,” Jagdeep said.
He explained that the reclamation of the two water bodies is not part of the original concession agreement signed between the Penang government and TPD.
“Hence, we have to include it in the second agreement (scheduled to be signed next month) as one of the works that has to be done by the successful parties besides developing the components of the Gurney Wharf project,” he said.
Jagdeep said that several approvals are needed before the reclamation works of the water bodies could commence.
“We expect the reclamation works of the two water bodies to start in June next year after obtaining the required approvals.
“It should probably take about a year for the reclamation works (of the water bodies) to complete,” he said.
On another matter, Jagdeep said the state had also decided to temporarily do away with a proposed road connecting the Gurney Wharf project to the proposed Penang Undersea Tunnel project.
“The total size of the road (in the Gurney Wharf project) is about 20 acres. The initial plan was to have a road connecting the Gurney Wharf project to the Penang Undersea Tunnel.
“However, the Penang Undersea Tunnel project is not happening yet. Hence, there is no point to have a road that will come to a dead end, and to waste the 20 acres of land.
“When the undersea tunnel project proceeds, we will revert back to the initial plan,” he said.
Story by Christopher Tan
Pix by Alvie Cheng