Kajang has transformed itself from a small old town to a big modern town by designing and developing new

township such as Bandar Baru Bangi and Bandar Seri Putra as well as extending its CBD (central business district) such as extension to Sungai Chua. However, its centre is inadequately transformed and most of its residences are working in Kuala Lumpur and other external areas. Write your vision and plan for Kajang to transform its town centre and to be a self reliance town. You may use sketches to enhance your vision and plan.

1.0

Vision and Mission

The main vision for this plan is to make Kajang as a town where the residences enjoying the benefits of a sustainable economic growth and dwells in a friendly livable environment. The mission is transforming Kajang town centre to become a self-reliance town. The principle objectives of the plan are : I. All the new development not only adds to the range of facilities in the town centre, but also improves the quality of the environment II. To ensure that new development is well related to existing areas and does not give rise or lead to the potential for urban sprawl. III. To ensure that the alterations and extensions to existing buildings generally will improve the environment and reinforce the sense of place. IV. To create new buildings and houses this can enhance the special character of Kajang and meet the needs of residents and other users.

2.0

Urban Renewal

Urban renewal, the publicly subsidized destruction of old inner-city properties and construction of new development, began nationwide with the Housing Act of 1949. The legislation authorized the federal government to pay cities at least two-thirds of the difference between the cost of acquiring and clearing a blighted area and the price the land brought when sold to a private development. The act's initial aim was to clear slums, but successive amendments broadened

what cities could do with the money, allowing authorizing clearance of neighborhoods for office and retail, as well as for rehabilitation of old homes. Kajang can take urban renewal approach to redesign their city. But Kajang is an old town ang its involve so many aspects to be considered for example rehabilitation of old homes is very hard to be done. So by considering the existing Kajang, the main steps can be taken are alterations and extension to existing buildings and construction of sustainable building.

2.1

Alterations and Extension to Existing Buildings

Planning permission will be granted for alterations and extension to existing buildings which : i. Choice of materials and positioning are compatible with the character of the existing building ii. will not result in an unreasonable loss of privacy or natural light to neighboring properties iii. iv. v. will not be detrimental to the neighborhood amenities and the characters will result in more conformability and convenience Alterations and extensions to existing buildings generally raise similar design issues to those of new development. Every change to a building, a street or a space has the potential to enrich or, if poorly designed, impoverish a part of the public realm. vi. The impact of a proposal on the appearance and character of the existing building and street scene generally must be satisfactory and there should be no unreasonable loss of amenity and privacy for immediate neighbors.

2.2

Construction of Sustainable Building

Planning permission will only be granted for development where its demonstrated that : i. ii. energy needs have been minimized Through a combination of design for energy efficiency and the incorporation of a sustainable energy supply such as green energy generation or combined heat and power

iii.

New buildings should be designed and constructed to reduce their energy demands and minimize their adverse effects.

iv.

other features will be incorporated to reduce or minimize environmental resource use and impact

v.

Ensure that the rate of surface water run-off from a site is not increased by the development proposed.

vi.

In new housing developments, facilities are provided, and an environment created, that encourages more sustainable lifestyles, for example, waste disposal facilities that support recycling initiatives. The quality of Kajangs built and natural environment should be respected and improved to a complementary mix of uses.

vii.

viii.

Mixed use development such as integrating housing with shops and employment opportunities, can make the most of the potential for higher densities and intensive activity at locations with good access to public transport.

3.0

Downtown Development and privatization of public spaces

Development will be permitted where all external spaces, including streets, footpaths, civic spaces, other open spaces have been designed as an integral part of the scheme as a whole, and it has been demonstrated that: i. the design and the materials to be used are appropriate for their intended purpose, to the use and character of the surrounding buildings and the area generally ii. different elements of paving, landscape and street furniture are coordinated to avoid a sense of clutter iii. particular consideration can be given to the planting of trees to provide a setting for buildings, boundaries and road sides iv. public open spaces and pedestrian routes are connected with the pedestrian network where the opportunity exists. Proposals involving the loss of open space will not be permitted unless it is demonstrated that: i. there will be no significant impact on the quality or character of the local environment

ii.

the open space is a small part of a larger area or of limited amenity or leisure value and there is a significant overprovision of open space serving the immediate area

iii.

there will be a local benefit in allowing the development in terms of either alternative equivalent provision being made in the area or improvement to an existing public park or other open space or

iv.

the development is for a community purpose and the benefits to the local community outweigh the loss

4.0

Naked Street and Masjid Centre

The naked streets approach is not a specific set of designs, but an underlying set of principles. Depending on the context, different responses will be appropriate. However it is essential that urban planners and transport engineers work together closely, to ensure that traffic management concerns never overwhelm the need for our streets and public spaces to be primarily places for people. A useful starting point is to establish where the location lies on a movement/place matrix.

Concept of naked street is remove all the things that were supposed to make it safe for the pedestrian for example traffic lights, railing, kurbs and road marking. Its sound impossible to be done in Malaysia since mentality and attitude some of Malaysian still in third class. But, this can be taken as first step to change our mentality become a world class. What we can do to is giving drivers and pedestrians equal status. Road humps, chicanes and other physical measures designed to reduce the speed of vehicles would be removed and the question of who had priority would be

left open deliberately, making drivers more cautious. Traffic lights have been uprooted and drivers must negotiate their way across junctions, forcing them to slow down and establish eye contact with pedestrians. One of Kajang landmark is Kajang mosque. So, masjid centred can be used to transform Kajang become a friendly livable environment. Kajang mosque already located at the town centre. What we need to do only emphasize the function and need of Kajang mosque so that it will become more lively with Islamic activities. Then, we can redesign the location or position of building for example shop houses and offices around the Kajang mosque. We need to give an adequate facilities and amenities to generate the development and sustainable economic growth around the mosque. 5.0 Modern Public Transport Facilities

Planning permission will only be granted where development provides for integration and connection of development to enable access by all modes of transport. Development should connect into existing transport networks to ensure it is convenient for travel to the site to be achieved by all modes in order to provide genuine choice of travel. Priority must be given to the main shopping streets center in developing pedestrian priority measures, whether full pedestrian, footway widening or simply measures to enhance the attractiveness and safety of the pedestrian environment. If necessary re-allocation of space to pedestrians can be adopted, encouraging shoppers and visitors to enjoy the amenities of the city center. Building at Kajang city centre already centralized which located close to each other. But, there is no pedestrian walkway. They need walk along building perimeter which is busy. So, good walking passages have to provide to ensure the safety and comfort for pedestrians. This is to encourage them to walk to their desire place. Existing main road main road that connecting from other places to Kajang are Kajang Dispersal Link Expressway, Cheras-Kajang Expressway and Kajang-Seremban expressway. While the public transport that connect the Kajangtown and other city are commuter, bus rapid KL and taxi. The increasing reliance on private transportation, in particular private cars, has created considerable pressure on the roads network which caused the traffic congestion even not

during peak hour. Implementation of fully integrated transportation system to improve to the bus networks are being facilitated by MPKj providing exclusive bus and taxi lanes in the City centre and comfortable stop. Tramlined system which travel internally and around a Kajang perimeter can be proposed to improve the public transportation facilities. In order to make it greener, this tramline system is utilizing the electric energy as power of movement. This electricity power produced by municipal waste. The interchange would be at existing KTM kajang. People will take a tram to go into a city centre which has several station around city centre (stadium, KPJ Kajang Specialist Hospital, Hospital Kajang, School, Metro Kajang). 6.0 River Front

Our purpose then is to aid in healing of riverfront as a place of critical ecological importance, as well as a place for working and living. Where the river has been an excuse for dividing neighbourhood and peoples, we desire a place where people can come together. We concur with the view that parks can create new value on adjacent lands, but also propose that a new ecology of parks is necessary that makes productive use of the rich riverfront lands and waters, as well as the people on its shores. Transformation of Kajang town center base on river-front development is one of the ways to transform Kajang from a small old town to a big modern town. The natural river adds to the variety of scenery within the urban area and the citys biodiversity interest. River-front could be a potential development that will give uniqueness of the town to Kajang. Where possible, riverfront should be accessible and used to develop the public footpath network. The nature river generally has a secluded and tranquil character. Adjoining development should positively address a water course, by enhancing security on footpaths through natural surveillance and providing links for people on foot, whilst also in most places preserving and enhancing their tranquil character. To make river-front accessible, integration of river-front access should be planned. These areas of riverfront access should be linked together to eventually provide large stretches of accessible riverfront. In addition to this general policy, the provision of publicly accessible riverfront is a requirement as part of the major development proposals. Development on sites on

the river edge and development on sites adjoining a watercourse will only be permitted where the proposal: i. ii. iii. iv. provides an attractive frontage to the water maintains or provides public access to the river edge maintains and enhances the nature conservation if appropriate, provides a series of mixed use sustainable neighborhoods that connect to the waterfront, with each other and with nearby neighborhoods in the existing urban area.

7.0

Shopping Development

Planning permission for retail development in the city centre with the following considerations: i. provide high quality, commercially attractive units to a high standard of design that will strengthen the role of this area as a regional shopping centre, safeguard historic character and improve the appearance of the city centre ii. iii. reinforce the vitality of the shopping streets in the central area paid special attention to upper floors which are not to be used for shopping purposes, and how these may be put to, or brought into beneficial uses which will enhance city centre character iv. help to create a safe and attractive pedestrian environment, safeguard historic character and improve the appearance of the city centre including the public realm.