Penang Watch

The issue will need to be addressed sooner than later: 4 hotels in the George Town's WHC's zones are higher than the requirement of UNESCO under World Heritage City guidelines.  If the present administration refused to make the correction it open the ways for the treasured WHC status to be withdrawn after a 3-year mandotory review of the WHC status by UNSCO. It is time that the new state government declare its policy on heritage conservation after it has voiced support for conservation previously. But until now the state government choosed to eg not to extend the Temprory Occupancy License of the Clan Jetties, a component of the WHC zone. It has not revoked the approvals for the 4 hotels above. It has not stopped the continued demolition of pre-war houses within the WHC zone eg in Kimberly St. It is time the new state government walk its talk, or become a talk in the walks.

Poser over approved high-rises in heritage zone
Himanshu Bhatt

GEORGE TOWN (Oct 29, 2008) : Several high-rise projects had been approved within the historic zone of inner city George Town by the previous administration, drawing a poser on whether on whether they go against Unesco requirements for stringent development control in the World Heritage Site.

Chow Kon Yeow
At least four projects, all hotels, are understood to be in the pipeline, with one allowed by the authorities to tower more than 20 storeys.

It is learnt the state government has yet to address how the matter should be handled, and whether these projects in the protected area would jeopardise the city’s heritage status.

State executive councillor Chow Kon Yeow said the permissions were issued by the previous state government, some time before the Unesco listing was announced in July.

He said generally, the limit for new buildings is five storeys within the inner city.

"But there are several projects approved which probably exceed the height guidelines stipulated by Unesco," he said.

Asked if these big projects would endanger the Unesco listing and how the authorities were planning to deal with the situation, Chow said the state government had yet to deliberate on the matter.

"We have yet to deal with this issue," he said, adding that the matter would be raised in the state executive council meeting.

When contacted, a spokesperson for the Penang Heritage Alert group, Tan Yeow Wooi, said the buildings that are planned are cause for great concern.

He said although the state may be wary about the legal implications of the matter, it may still be possible to have the approvals reviewed.

He said it was important for the authorities to distinguish between planning approval and building approval. Projects that have yet to obtain building approval could be reassessed in view of the protection required by Unesco.

The group had issued a press statement on July 16, asking the state government to ensure such projects do not go against Unesco’s conservation and preservation guidelines.