Minister warns estate developers

Minister warns estate developers

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Public Housing Akbar Tanjung has
warned real estate developers who have been delaying the
construction of their projects to start building immediately.

"The government hopes those developers will start building
houses for people because we have issued the location permits for
them to build on 30,000 hectares of land in the greater Jakarta
area," Tanjung said yesterday, in the inauguration ceremony of
Citra Grand City housing complex.

Tanjung said if all developers build houses on the land it
could meet the increasing demand for houses in the greater
Jakarta area.

"The government will not hesitate to review the land permit of
developers who delay their projects," Tanjung said.

The minister refused to reveal the number of developers which
reportedly have been delaying their projects.

Tanjung said the government might be more selective in issuing
such permits in the future.

"The government will also closely control the implementation
of housing regulations," he said, adding that the Indonesian Real
Estate Association should remind its members to obey the
regulations.

Tanjung urged real estate developers to obey the regulations
in providing land for public facilities and to fulfill their
promises to their buyers.

"Developers often break their promises, and eventually buyers
are disappointed because they do not get the facilities
promised," Tanjung said.

He explained the main reason why the government issued the
regulations which require developers to build various types of
houses is to provide houses for all people.

"The 1:3:6 composition is made because people's buying power
is so varied," Tanjung said referring to the concept in which
developers should build six low-cost houses and three modest
houses for every luxurious house they plan to build.

Citra Grand City, the sixth project of PT Citraland Estate,
owned by real estate tycoon Ciputra, is a pilot project which
will introduce a "city of the arts" concept.

When completed there will be various artistic items such as
statues and paintings installed in the housing complex. The
streets in the complex will be named after internationally
acclaimed artists including painters, sculptors, singers and
movie stars. An art gallery will be also built in the
complex.(yns)