Better coordination needed to unlock housing near transport hubs, says Rehda Institute

 Think tank calls for shared roadmap between developers, local councils and transport authorities in urban policymaking.

Rehda Institute said urban planning must provide for transport and community infrastructure to be synchronised with housing development. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA:

Malaysia needs better coordination between transport authorities, local councils and property developers to develop housing estates near transit hubs, says real estate think tank Rehda Institute.

The institute said urban planning must go beyond land use and provide for synchronisation of transport and community infrastructure before or alongside development.

It also called for strategic think tanks and universities to play a larger role in urban policy research and long-term city planning.

“By providing long-term projections on demographics, mobility, and workforce needs, our universities can help the government and developers create more future-proof cities that are resilient to the changing needs of the next generation,” it added.

The institute, an arm of the Real Estate and Housing Developers Association, said the root cause of poor coordination lay in the gap between policy intent and technical and financial feasibility.

The institute gave the example of the UK’s transport hub land financing mechanisms as a way of balancing social objectives, such as affordable housing, with the high costs of providing complex urban infrastructure.

The institute, chaired by Jeffrey Ng, recently led a delegation of over 30 corporate leaders and others on a study tour to the UK. Among them was housing and local government minister Nga Kor Ming, who proposed the creation of a partnership with Cambridge University for knowledge exchange on rail-led urban development. - FMT