Batu Ferringhi is within the secondary development corridor. It is an area set aside for tourism and leisure. The only residential development allowed is low density housing to a maximum of 3 floors on steep slopes. The picture above is Batu Ferringhi in December of 2010. In the centre back ground is the Tower at Bayu Ferringhi. By Plentitude a high density housing project in the heart of Batu Ferringhi tourist area. The tower is now topped out but not before growing above the hill top.
On the back of the same hill the estate called Moonlight bay. Four floor houses built on the side of a very steep hill on stilts. The developer claims it was designed to Mediterranean standards. Below is a picture of an illegal Israeli settlement built on occupied Palestinian land. This picture may substantiate the claim!
In the foreground of the previous picture is the Island Bay high density housing development by Ivory. Multiple towers being constructed on the side of a very steep hill slope. Now very apparent, as you drive along the only access road to the main tourist area of Batu Ferringhi. This site took weeks of rock blasting to create a flat area large enough to build these towers on. How safe only time will tell. The environmental impact is probably devastating; it certainly is to the wildlife that lost its habitat to this development. Improvements to the existing infrastructure zero! Low density housing 15 units to the acre totally forgotten. No high rise developments on steep slopes, disregarded.
Shamrock beach development. 62 Eco friendly tin roof shacks. 30 are complete and just four are lived in one year after completion! The developer is now building the remaining 32 units six days a week 12 hours per day. Exactly which part of this development is Eco friendly is not at all clear. Possibly the use of energy saving light bulbs! Will anyone actually live there or will this be just another investors ghost town! How much more housing does this Eco sensitive once pristine area need? How many years will Batu Ferringhi have to wait for much needed improvements to the infrastructure? How many more of these housing projects will our government approve? Why did the tax payers of Penang pay to have a structure plan developed if there was no intent to follow it?
Happy Christmas to all and may your God be with you in 2011.
