Police HQ's permit request still missing

JAKARTA (JP): City officials said a developer planning to rebuild the City Police Headquarters had yet to submit requests for construction permits.

The officials, who requested anonymity, were from the city's development supervision agency and spatial plans agency.

"The plans might still be being assessed by the city's team of architects," an official said.

The official said such a large project must be acknowledged by the architects.

A request to the spatial plans agency for site planning advice is needed before a construction permit can be requested from the development supervision agency.

Earlier National Police Chief Lt. Gen. Dibyo Widodo said the project may start shortly after the general election in May.

Assistant to the city secretary of development affairs Prawoto S. Danoemihardjo said he too did not know if the developer, PT Mandala Pratama Permai, had submitted the necessary requests.

Last year PT Mandala signed a barter agreement with the City Police, under which the developer, owned by businessman Hutomo Mandala Putra, would buy 6.5 of the 14.5 hectare grounds of the police headquarters.

The 6.5 hectares will be used to develop commercial facilities.

The other eight-hectares will be developed into a 10-story building, twin 23-story towers, twin eight-story buildings, a three-story auditorium and an eight-story apartment building for officers.

Under the barter deal the developer will also build a housing complex for police officers in Serpong, West Java.

Several people have hailed the plans, saying the 35-year-old City Police Headquarters were no longer adequate. (anr)