The project will be developed in 25 precincts and each residential phase will have its own theme namely Grow, Golden, Lake View and Valley Homes

Imagine this. You have to attend an old friend's wedding somewhere in Petaling Jaya Old Town. You've never been to his house and the address was given to you by another friend. Worst still, you are not familiar with that area.

There is a likelihood of you missing the wedding or ending up at the wrong "kenduri" if there is more than one wedding in that area.

That is why Golden Hope Development Sdn Bhd decided to adopt theme concept houses for each residential phase of its new township project called "Kota Seriemas."

"We want to avoid such a problem," Golden Hope Development Sdn Bhd general manager Encik Azmar Talib said. Golden Hope Development is a property arm of the main board giant plantation company, Golden Hope Plantation Bhd.

Kota Seriemas, which is spread over a 4,166.64ha land, will be developed in 25 precincts and each residential phase will have its own theme namely Grow, Golden, Lake View, Ranch and Valley Homes. Each theme is different by design and its landscape.

"We try to sway from the traditional theme house which is normally differentiated by the number of rooms and the size," he said.

A similar concept will also be implemented into its soon-to-be-launched "Kota Bayuemas" mixed property development project in Klang, Selangor.

Azmar said apart from branding the units, the concept also carries the developer's
credibility in managing a property development project.

This means that the property developer is committed to his product and to building quality houses.

"Golden Hope Development has a reputable position in the property industry".

"When people buy a product that bears our name, and if we deliver a less quality house, the consequence is we might jeopardise our customers' trust in us," he said.

Although the concept of theme houses may sound good, it is not enough to attract buyers. Noticing this, the company is looking at upgrading its product by implementing value added features such as fibre optic and extra telephone points for Internet.

"We have started upgrading all units. In fact, the entire township runs on fibre optic as it is cheaper now compare to when it was first introduced. It has become a basic facility for each of our residential unit," he said, adding that the company is offering houses that have a future feature.

Furthermore, the new township is within the KL International Airport (KLIA) and the multimedia Super Corridor range.

"We want to do something more for the house buyers because we believe they deserve to have more. Besides, this is one of the ways to appreciate our customers," he said.

Apart from the fibre optic, which will be a value added feature, the company is also upgrading the entire township into a "garden city".

PROJECT LAUNCH

Golden Hope Development will launch the Kota Seriemas township, together with its commercial property units, in November. "We hope to launch them before the fasting month which is likely to fall on November 27," he said.
The company had earlier launched 118 units of terrace houses and these units received an overwhelming response.
Late last year, the company launched 115 bungalow lots and 127 units of double-storey link houses under its second precinct.
Its first precinct was the 1,500 unit KLIA staff housing complex. The project, which was granted by the Government, has been completed and occupied.
Apart from the KLIA Staff Housing Complex, the precinct is also equipped with other amenities such as a mosque, school, shops, clinic and a bus terminal.
Azmar said the company has not embarked on a bigger launch to ensure that it delivers a quality product to house buyers.
"If we launched a bigger number, we may still be able to deliver a quality product but it may not satisfy us. We want everything to be perfect," he stressed.

GARDEN CITY TOWNSHIP
Kota Seriemas will have a total 12,000 residential units with approximately 65,000 population. This, however, excludes the commercial elements. The project will be completed between 25 to 35 years.
The residential units are expected to be completed by 2010, while the commercial elements, which are spread over a 1,134ha land, may take a longer time.
Not only Kota Seriemas residents will witness the growth of the surrounding area, the company will also benefit from this because Kota Seriemas is strategically located within the target growth area of Kuala Lumpur, Klang and Sepang. There will be a lot of economic activities, which will result in higher employment opportunities.
Location-wise, Azmar said Kota Seriemas is "not wrong neither too perfect". "With this kind of location, we need a developer with a stamina to develop such a township."
Although the company is now putting a lot of efforts to develop the township, Golden Hope Development does not intend to compete with an earlier and bigger player like Putrajaya Holdings Sdn Bhd as both companies are catering to a different set of market.
"Our product is concerned with providing affordable homes, but Putrajaya Holdings aims for the higher market," he said.
However, he stressed that the company is going for something different, which is "better that the normal township development."
"Through this project, the company also tries to fulfil its corporate responsibilities by keeping a piece of land for "Rumah Bakti", a shelter for orphans and a kindergarten.
At the same time, the company will also focus on the specific needs of its target market, to ensure that its product meets the target.
Azmar however decline to disclose other plans that the company has drafted for the upgrading of the new township, as some are still pending approval from relevant authorities.

COMMERCIAL UNITS
Golden Hope Development has also come up with another concept in developing its commercial property by introducing a smart partnership programme.
Under the programme, Golden Hope will sell or lease a piece of its commercial land to any interested parties.
"They can take as much time as possible to develop the land, but it should not exceed the expected completion date of the whole township, which is around the year 2025 to 2035," he said.
The interested parties can also propose joint ventures with Golden Hope Development. "It works both ways," he said.
So far, Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB) has acquired a 24.5ha commercial land at Kota Seriemas where its corporate complex will be and Golden Hope Development talking to a few other parties who are interested.

PROJECTS IN THE PIPELINE
Golden Hope Development is also developing Morib Beach Resort City in Selangor. This sea front resort township master plan has been approved by the State Government and will cover a land area of 1,417.5ha.
The proposed development is expected to be launched within the financial year 2000/2001.
Under this project, the company has also proposed the improvement of roads from Kuala Lumpur and other infrastructure improvements which will enhance accessibility.
This new development will feature a beach front retreat, resort villas, a cultural and entertainment precinct, golf links, resort island and Golden Years precinct.
The company will also develop Carey Island Resort Harbour City in Klang.
"But it will not be so soon because there are many factors that need to be taken into consideration," Azmar said, adding that it is a long-term project for the company.
This resort harbour city envisions, among others, a dedicated 810ha area of heritage land as well as plantation homestead, beach front developments, an international standard golf link, herbariums, a plantation heritage museum, research and development and education zone.