PROPERTY GURU. 16TH MAY: There are so many things in modern city living that we don’t think about. We open the faucet and expect clean water. We plug in our appliances and expect electricity. We go to the market and expect fresh produce. We simply expect things to be there.
However, established cities tend to be overcrowded, noisy, and polluted. Demand for affordable housing far outstrips supply, so people choose to live near the city instead of in it. The suburbs promise tranquillity and lots of space – in exchange for having to spend a lot of time commuting to the city to get to everything it offers. But what if a development outside the city has the things the city offers? This is what integrated townships are all about.
Integrated townships in a nutshell
Integrated townships are practically mini-cities. They feature single or mixed-use developments (i.e., residential and commercial properties that are built together in the same zone), schools and hospitals, and basic infrastructures like electric and water utilities, sewers, and solid waste management facilities. Townships are often built alongside industrial zones or have office buildings so that the staff who works there can live nearby.
Let’s take a deeper dive into the benefits of residing in an integrated township.
Practically everything is within reach
They say time is one of the most precious things money can’t buy, but you can purchase property that lets you arrange your life in a way that grants you more time. Why burn time on the highway when you can hop on a train to go to work or bike to buy groceries? Car-centric living is not living – we waste time crawling in heavy traffic and so much time would be better spent playing with our children, breaking bread with friends, and communing with nature.
In short, by having employment hubs, commercial areas, recreation centres, schools, hospitals, and parks close together, integrated townships promote balance.
Featured development: Taman Sutera Utama (7th Asia Property Awards Winner, Highly Commended Mega Township Development) by Tanah Sutera Development Sdn Bhd
With its rain-harvesting houses, condos with garden suites, solar-powered commercial centre, and food waste composting organic farm, Taman Sutera Utama serves as a beacon for sustainable living in Malaysia.
Everything in the development – including recreational parks, international schools, a hospital, and a sports complex – are all walking distance away from one another.
Nature reinvigorates modern life
Malaysia’s developers recognise that the property seekers of today are more eco-conscious and enjoy being shaded by trees and surrounded by lush foliage. Studies have shown that when people spend time with trees, their anxiety and stress levels are reduced, and their creativity, capacity to be present at the moment, and ability to form human bonds are increased.
Featured development: Tamansari, Rawang (3rd Asia Property Awards Winner, Best Housing Development – Central Malaysia) by BRDB Developments Sdn Bhd
Built on a rolling terrain, Tamansari is a mostly residential development that boasts swaths of greenery and tranquil lakes. It will soon have commercial centres and an international school.
However, while it’s good that more and more high-rise developers are adding green spaces in their buildings, those are a far cry from the verdant parks and playgrounds offered by townships – which, by the way, have corporate towers with green spaces of their own.
Featured development: Bandar Sri Sendayan (7th Asia Property Awards Malaysia Winner, Best Mega Township Development) by Matrix Concepts Holdings Berhad (7th Asia Property Awards Malaysia Winner, Best Mega Township Developer)
Living in Bandar Sri Sendayan is like living in a resort, except that you can work and raise your family there, too. It has lakeside amenities, lush outdoor activity areas, and tranquil garden paths, and its business parks are green, too. And since hospitals, schools, retail, and recreational establishments are all highly accessible, this development is now renowned as one of the country’s benchmarks for sustainable living.
Township administrators take good care of residents
Admins employ CCTV camera networks and guard services to keep residents safe. They monitor sewage and garbage disposal systems that keep neighbourhoods clean. They oversee landscapers who make the surroundings look beautiful, as well as miscellaneous staff who resolve electrical system issues and maintain streets, among other things. More than these, admins also come up with occasional events to foster community ties.
Featured developer: WM Senibong Sdn Bhd (Winner, Best Township Developer)
WM Senibong is responsible for magnificent township developments like Crest@Austin and Senibong Cove. Crest@Austin will feature residential precincts called Ruby and Sapphire, a business park called Emerald, many commercial centres, expansive parklands, and a yet-to-be-launched development called Citrine. Senibong Cove, on the other hand, boasts spectacular residential and commercial waterfront properties and meticulously conserved riverbanks and coastlines.