Application of NEW BUTTERWORTH REGENERATION PLAN: EMPOWERING COMMUNITY & PUBLIC SPACES A. Profile of the Initiative Geographic Region Asia-Pacific Country/Region Malaysia SEBERANG PERAI / SEBERANG PERAI MUNICIPAL Name of City/Local Authority COUNCIL Organization SEBERANG PERAI MUNICIPAL COUNCIL Title, Name and Position of Person(s) Leading the Initiative Basic City Data Population size: 1,062,000 Population Growth Rate(%)1.70 Surface Area (sq.km): 738.000 Population Density (people/sq.km): 1439.000 GDP Per Capita (U.S.$): 11534.000 GINI Index: 0.356 URL/Webpage of Your City: URL/Webpage of Your Initiative: Main source of prosperity (e.g. industry, trade, tourism, creative industry, etc.): TRADE, INDUSTRY, SEAPORT (CONTAINER TERMINAL). TOURISM, AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES B. Title and Abstract For a large integrated initiative, please consider submitting up to three initiatives under the same title. For example, you may wish to submit under “Low-Carbon Urban Development for My City” an initiative on public transport, an initiative on energy efficiency in buildings, and an initiative on use of renewable energy. NEW BUTTERWORTH REGENERATION PLAN: Title or Tagline of the Initiative EMPOWERING COMMUNITY & PUBLIC SPACES Sub-title Pekan Lama (Old Town) Regeneration Plan Start date of the initiative 2015-05-01 Tentative End Date of the Initiative (if 2020-12-31 not yet completed) Thematic Areas Governance/Management Abstract/Short description of the innovative initiative being submitted for Award.(150 words max) The New Butterworth Regeneration Plan is an initiative programme between Seberang Perai Municipal Council and Think City that sets out a framework to revitalise Butteworth City. Butterworth City flourished gradually since its establishment in the mid-1800s which located within the George Town Conurbation (“GTC”). The site context of the four Regeneration Plans for Butterworth Baharu are Pekan Lama Regeneration Plan, The Harbour Front Regeneration Plan, Bagan Ajam Waterfront Regeneration Plan and Perai River Rehabilitation & Activation. The New Butterworth Regeneration Objectives are:- i. Improvement and activationof Public Spaces ii. Realizing land use potential iii. Making a culturally vibrant and liveable city iv. Embedding a strong sense of community and place identity v. Celebrating historic Butterworth The four Regeneration Plans combined serve as a long term framework to guide the regeneration of Butterworth Baharu. Together, they foresee both capillary small-scale interventions and major initiatives that can be transformative for the future functioning and perception of Butterworth. The Butterworth Baseline Study focusing on land use and population census provides useful information about the local population, opportunities for the improvement of quality of life and urban planning. The Baseline Study report provides some key highlights about Butterworth has a high residential. The survey shows that Old Town Butterworth has an urban architecture comprising early 20th century shop houses, places of worship and mid- 20th century office building; all underutilized but has high potential for regeneration. In parallel a baseline study was commissioned. The study aims are to; i. Collect, collate, map and analyse baseline population, economic and land use data to inform a Butterworth grants programme and other interventions ii. Use baseline data to monitor change and recalibrate initiatives iii. Use baseline data to measure the impact of interventions and initiatives The baseline study area is 276 hectare in Butterworth town which is bound Jalan Kampung Paya to the north, Butterworth Outer Ring Road to the east, Jalan New Ferry to the south and Jalan Sungai Nyor /Jalan Raja Uda to the east. Community engagement is key at every stage in order for the local council to provide amenities that will be acceptable to, and fully utilized by, the immediate community within this high density residential area. It is suggested that stakeholder engagements, be conducted to engage with local residents prior to finalization of content and design briefs. Engagement with traders the key at every stage in order for the local council to provide amenities that will be acceptable to, and looked after by the traders. It is suggested that stakeholder engagements, such as surveys and consultations, be conducted to engage with traders prior to finalization of content and design briefs for expert consultants. C. Background Information Describe the legislative or policy framework under which the initiative is taking place, for example, a public policy document at the central or local government level, a policy statement, a covenant, a compact or internationally recognized agreement including, for example, the Sustainable Development Goals, and/or the New Urban Agenda The Pekan Lama (Old Town) Regeneration Plan (PLRP) forms the first regeneration plan of the New Butterworth Programme (BBP) initiative carried out jointly by Seberang Perai Municipal Council and Think City (TC) at the local government level. D. Summary of the Origins of the Initiative Describe how the initiative came about and what challenges or issues of sustainable development it is meant to address using the following lead questions as your guide. (350 words max) 1. Describe briefly the reason(s) for undertaking the initiative including social, economic, political or cultural challenge(s) or issues confronting the city/region/community. Include where relevant number of people, enterprises or institutions affected. High vacancies and inefficient land use are among the underlying issues in Pekan Lama. The aftermath from various planning and political decisions of past years had left a profoundly negative impact on the old town including the waterfront now separated from the town by the Butterworth Outer Ring Road (BORR), the relocation of local, state, and federal institutions out of Butterworth to newer townships such as Bandar Perda, Seberang Jaya and Kepala Batas, and the reduction in through traffic after the construction of the PLUS Highway and the BORR. These planning and political decisions have bereft Butterworth of its importance, vibrancy and identity. Leaving in place rows of emptying shophouses and struggling businesses. New Butterworth Regeneration Plan sets out a framework to revitalise Butterworth by improving the seafront, the Perai river, and the old town. Hence, regeneration plans were prepared to identify action items and to guide the implementation of the programme. The consists of four Regeneration Plans, namely: 1. Pekan Lama (Old Town) 2. Penang Sentral 3. Sungai Perai 4. Butterworth Waterfront The development of plan was driven by strategic reasons to: 1) Conceive of a new urban agglomeration comprising George Town and Butterworth to spur economic growth 2) Reduce increasing development pressure on the island 3) Address the issues of neglect and underdervelopment in the mainland 4) Rejuvenate the dusty and almost forgotten historic core of Butterworth in terms of commercial, cultural and recreational activities The Pekan Lama (Old Town) regeneration plan was developed as one of four action plans to identify, formulate and implement specific actions toward transforming Butterworth into a liveable, sustainable and resilient city. 2. Describe the goals of the initiative in terms of desired change or outcome and timeframe for achieving the change or outcome (for example, change in policy, strategy, business model, technology, means of implementation, financing arrangements, human development and empowerment, measuring and evaluating progress and impact, etc.). The goal of the plan is to help reverse the decline, repopulate affected areas and bring commerce back to the old town through a more efficient land use strategy. The plan looks at ways in which Butterworth can be rebranded to retain existing residents and attract new families and youths to return through repopulation via land use policy, creation of quality public amenities and spaces, greener landscapes, improving connectivity and walkability, celebrating Butterworth through interesting events and activities, encouraging creative industries and returning the lost waterfront to the people. 3. Describe whether the innovation involves any partnership (public-public, public-private, public- community, etc.) and if yes, who is or was the leading partner(s), the role they each played and whether other parties have benefited or are benefiting from your innovation and how? Many partnerships were formed with different stakeholders from governmental organisations to non-governmental organisations and to influential individuals. For this plan, a key partnership was developed with Think City, a government-linked non- profit organisation with a track record in delivering community-focused urban rejuvenation projects. Think City projects require staff to proactively engage and manage communities and stakeholders in order to achieve the most desirable outcomes. Hence, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed in 2015 between Think City and Seberang Perai Municipal Council to drive the New Butterworth programme underpins our combined efforts in improving the liveability of Butterworth. Think City’s role in the New Butterworth Regeneration Plan programme is to identify, implement and manage projects with high impact in Butterworth. Think City’s work on Butterworth focuses on three strategies: 1) Think City Grants Programme (TCGP) Under TCGP the community is encouraged to submit proposals for projects including physical upgrading