Market building permits still long way off
Market building permits still long way off
Leony Aurora, Jakarta
The planned Jakarta Wholesale Center is unlikely to be able to
start operating in November as scheduled, since the environmental
impact analysis (Amdal), required for the issuance of the
building permits, has only started.
Head of the environmental impact prevention office at the
Jakarta Environmental Management Agency (BPLHD) Ridwan Panjaitan
told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday that the process, from initial
proposal to final recommendations, would take four months to six
months to complete.
The proposal for the eight-story building, which will be built
on the site of the former Melati dam, Kebon Kacang, Central
Jakarta, was submitted by developer PT Jakarta Realty on June 18.
"We shall discuss the proposal next Tuesday," said Panjaitan.
The meeting will determine what issues need an impact
analysis, the location and number of samples, methodology and
what kind of experts should be included in the team.
The approved team will then carry out a thorough analysis and
submit a detailed proposal to the agency on environmental impacts
and probable ways to minimize them. Further discussions,
involving non-governmental organizations, community figures and
experts, will recommend improvements to the plan.
The ground-breaking ceremony for the center, planned to be one
of the largest business districts in Southeast Asia, was supposed
to take place in late June. Governor Sutiyoso postponed the event
due to the absence of permits and hinted that it would take place
after the July 5 presidential election.
He said that his subordinates were processing the necessary
permits.
Jakarta Construction Supervision and Regulation Agency (P2B)
head Djumhana Tjakrawirja asserted that the block plan for the
complex was still in the hands of the City Planning Agency, which
is empowered to issue land use permits.
"After this permit is acquired and the file is submitted to
us, we can start processing the building permits," said Djumhana.
He elaborated that his agency would issue building permits
after receiving the analysis recommendations from the BPLHD.
"We can issue preliminary permits upon receiving a receipt
that confirms that a proposal has been submitted to the BPLHD,"
he added.
According to Panjaitan, preliminary permits would allow
developers to carry out preconstruction activities, such as
fencing off the construction site, defining the boundary and
taking soil samples.
"Activities that do not significantly affect the environment
are permissible," he said.
The 14.07-hectare site is currently being used as a temporary
parking lot for traders and buyers at Tanah Abang textile market.
Analysts have opposed the construction of the center, saying
that it is against Bylaw No. 2/2002 on private markets in
Jakarta, which stipulates that a private market occupying more
than 4,000 square meters (sq m) of land must be built at least
2.5 kilometers away from a traditional or community market.
The Jakarta Wholesale Center will consist of a 282,000 sq m
trade center, a 28,500 sq m hotel and convention center, 38,000
sq m of offices, a 196,500 sq m parking area and a 16,000 sq m
center for small and medium enterprises. The location is less
than a kilometer away from the Tanah Abang market.