P Pinang sasar 50% tambakan selesai menjelang 2040

Pulau Pinang has set a target to develop half of its designated land for building and conservation by 2040. The draft plan, now open for public review, aims to develop 25% of the designated land by 2030 and 50% by 2040, without specifying the exact area covered by this target. The plan identifies 12 development projects, totaling 2,350 hectares, which would contribute to the 2040 target if it corresponds to the 2024 response.

This includes 932 hectares for the South Penang Island Development Project and related works, 582 hectares outside Bagan Ajam and Teluk Air Tawar, and 377 hectares for Phase 2 of Seri Tanjong Pinang, in addition to developments at Bayan Mutiara, a jutty plantation site, and some coastal developments. The draft also states that land development is necessary due to limited land availability for housing, public facilities, and business activities.

Development will be phased, with monitoring of water quality, marine life, and impact on fishing communities. The plan also proposes development on selected highland land above 76 meters. Of the 645 hectares identified or accepted by the state, 40% is targeted for development by 2030 and 60% by 2040, with development limited to a slope of 25 degrees, requiring state approval.

Protected areas like Rizab Biosphere, the forest reserve remain, and Pulau Pinang National Park are excluded. Given the document's draft status, the figures related to land development and highland areas represent planning targets, not approvals for work to commence. Protecting Middle Bank, located between Pulau Pinang and the mainland, is also proposed as a marine conservation zone.

This proposal echoes the state government's earlier statement that it had no immediate plan to do so. The draft also establishes the target for all biodiversity areas under the plan to be protected by 2040. The Penang Gateway, a mixed-use development proposal along the northern coast from Tanjung Bungah to Batu Ferringhi, aimed at tourism, services, trade, and land development, is also mentioned in the draft, though it does not specify land area, cost, developer, or construction timeline.

In 2019, the state government endorsed a private sector proposal for 121 hectares of land outside Batu Ferringhi for hotel, commercial, and serviced apartment development. Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said at the time that it was only a proposal requiring further approval.