22 property FocusM | June 9-15, 2018 FocusM | June 9-15, 2018 property 23 phy, providing each home with a panoramic view of the KL city centre,” explains Ng. Unlocking Sunway Property also invested in extensive landscape facilities which include an exclusive 5.7ha private forest with a skywalk as Melawati’s potential well as a 1km jungle trek. One of the development’s key highlights is its clubhouse which integrates rainwater harvesting former rubber planta- • Excellent 2007 corporate merger exercise. and smart energy solution and tion, Taman Melawati connectivity and Sime Darby Property Bhd has a Leadership in Energy and is often called the chief operating officer (inte- Environmental Design (LEED) hidden jewel of Kuala proximity to city grated) Quek Cham Hong reveals Platinum certification – a first in Lumpur and has long centre makes that prior to its development, the Taman Melawati was developed Ng says Melawati is strategically the country. Abeen known for its peace and location a hot pick location was a rubber plantation into a residential area for the located, being not too far from “Each abode is designed with quiet despite its proximity to the known as Hawthornton Estate. middle-income group, says Quek the city centre the latest sustainable innovation, city. “Taman Melawati was devel- enhanced with environmental The neighbourhood was even • More developments oped into a residential park tar- and energy conservation features dubbed the Malaysian version of expected as Taman geting the growing middle- to redefine the standards of qual- Hollywood at one point for being Melawati earmarked income group. With the beautiful ity urban living,” adds Ng. home to a number of local per- backdrop of the Klang Gates This seems to be a winning sonalities. for urban Quartz Ridge, Melawati enjoys an concept as it was revealed that Raine and Horne Interna- redevelopment abundance of nature,” he states. Sunway Montana, which is tar- tional Zaki and Partners Sdn Bhd initiative Former resident Azreena Natural advantage geted at upgraders and multigen- partner James Tan says data Hamzah, who grew up in Taman erational families, is fully sold out. shows that prices and rentals of Melawati, remembers that it was Sime Darby Property’s Quek properties in the area have been one of the first projects to be URROUNDED by nature, Taman Melawati houses one of reveals that the developer is generally stable. by developed in the area and was an the entrances to Bukit Tabur, a popular hiking destina- undertaking an urban redevelop- To illustrate the point, he Ang Hui Hsien extremely quiet neighbourhood Stion also known as Bukit Hangus which rises 396m and ment initiative at the 364.2ha states that the price of a standard when her family moved in 1980. boasts a scenic view of the Klang Gates Dam. Taman Melawati township which terrace house ranges from She notes the residents of Despite the bad press it has received involving lost and is earmarked for residential, com- RM600,000 to RM800,000 while administrative district of Gombak Taman Melawati were a close- injured hikers, many continue to visit the hill which is often mercial, retail and lifestyle devel- the rental for terrace homes is in Selangor. knit community where everyone crowded on weekends with both amateur and experienced climb- opments. from RM1,500 to RM3,500 per The uniqueness of the locality knew their neighbours, who were ers attempting to conquer its challenging and dangerous trails. One of these is Serini month. does not end there, as its borders evenly distributed between Malay Split into the east and west trails, the hill is said to require Melawati which will have 528 units Moving forward, he expects have changed to include and and Chinese families, with a small about three to four hours of hiking to reach its peak, depending in two 38-storey towers that are Average price for the property market in Melawati exclude different neighbourhoods number of Indian families also on the fitness level of the hiker. described as Melawati’s tallest to remain challenging and com- over time. living in the area. double-storey terrace house Bukit Tabur is also part of the world’s oldest and longest high-rise residential offering. petitive. Market prices and rent- According to a 2010 news “Many people thought it too Prior to its in Tmn Melawati, Ulu Klang quartz ridge – the Klang Gates Quartz Ridge – which is unusual The project’s take-up rate als are expected to be relatively report, Melawati also encom- far from the city as transportation development, (Land area: 1,000-1,5000sf) because of its size measuring 200m in width and 22km in length. stands at 60%, with most of the stable with little, if any, potential passes surrounding localities such was not as convenient as it is now. Taman Additionally, the presence of four different types of quartz for- buyers comprising upgraders Melawati was for upside this year. as Bukit Kemensah, Ukay Perdana, There were buses running back RM ‘000 mation also makes it one of a kind. from KL and Ampang aged from a rubber “Demand and supply in (cer- Bukit Mewah and Lembah then but they would only go up to 800 36 to 55. plantation Despite this, the quartz ridge has little conservation and has tain) locations as well as the gov- Keramat, but the advent of devel- the Klang Gates Dam and from 700 faced many threats brought on by development, with the latest known as Pent-up demand for mall ernment and Bank Negara opments has led to the neighbour- there, residents had to walk the Hawthornton 600 being the proposed East Klang Valley Expressway which was ini- Malaysia’s latest policy will stimu- hoods forming their own identi- rest of the way in,” she recalls. Estate 500 tially planned to cut through the geological formation. The condominium sits less than late or hinder its growth. ties and gradually losing their 1km from the 10-storey Melawati 400 According to environmental organisation WWF-Malaysia, its “However, with the right con- association with Melawati. Good connectivity proximity to Kuala Lumpur city centre coupled with increasing Mall, which is jointly developed by cept, enticing product features, Taman Melawati, however, Improvements to connectivity 300 demand to house the city’s population has also rendered the Sime Darby Property and attractive pricing and well- remains synonymous with the within and surrounding Taman 200 foothills of the ridge vulnerable to development pressures. CapitaLand Mall Asia Ltd. planned marketing strategies, area although other neighbour- Melawati began with the con- 100 Apart from Bukit Tabur and the Klang Gates Quartz Ridge, According to Quek, the mall property developments in this hoods such as Desa Melawati and struction of the six-lane KL 0 Taman Melawati is also home to the entrance of the Klang Gates acts as a catalyst for the urban area are expected to be market- Taman Wangsa Melawati have Middle Ring Road 2 (MRR2) which 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Dam which was the first dam built in the country for water redevelopment initiative and is able,” he adds. also emerged within the same was completed in 2002 and con- supply. positioned as a lifestyle hub for locality. nects Bandar Sri Damansara at SOURCE: RAINE AND HORNE INTERNATIONAL Completed in 1958, the dam is also known as the Bukit Tabur the greater Melawati area. Unique location ZAKI AND PARTNERS SDN BHD Launched in 1972, Taman one end to Sri Petaling at the Sunway Dam. With a capacity of 25,104 million litres, it acts as a major Explaining the decision to Despite bearing a Kuala Lumpur Melawati was the first township to other. Property is source of drinking water for residents in the Klang Valley. build Melawati Mall in the loca- postal address, the Melawati area be developed by Negara Properties The Genting Klang-Pahang also stamping the proposed Sungai Besi-Ulu tion, he says: “Melawati and the is administered by the Ampang (M) Bhd which was then operating highway which links the township its mark in Kelang Expressway (SUKE) will surrounding areas have been Jaya Municipal Council as it sits in as a subsidiary of Golden Hope to other areas such as Wangsa Melawati with further enhance accessibility and underserved for a long time and the state constituency of Ulu Plantations Bhd. The latter became Maju and Taman Melati to the city Sunway convenience. there was a pent-up demand for Kelang, which is part of the part of the Sime Darby Group in a was also upgraded in 2015 from a Montana “As an alternative to driving, Property whose latest project is a create a project that could deliver a modern quality retail offering. two LRT (light rail transit) stations low-density residential develop- extraordinary value to the resi- Additionally, Melawati is a mature (Wangsa Maju and Sri Rampai) are ment called Sunway Montana. dents as it was strategically residential area with lots of four-lane to a six-lane dual car- a mere five-minute drive away for The project is not the devel- located not too far from the city potential.” riageway. hassle-free trips into the city,” he oper’s maiden venture in centre. At present, the mall receives “Taman Melawati has adds. Melawati. The property arm of “In terms of liveability, it is 700,000 visitors a month on aver- matured and has seen growth due The improvement of roads conglomerate Sunway Bhd had located within a mature township age and has an occupancy rate to its strategic location and excel- and highways combined with also previously completed with a host of amenities and its exceeding 90% of committed lent connectivity.