Stop developing real estate in Ancol, councilors plead

JAKARTA (JP): Expansion of a residential area in Ancol, North Jakarta, should be stopped to avoid disrupting operations at Tanjung Priok seaport, councilors said.

Chairman of Commission B for economic affairs Syarief Zulkarnaen said on Wednesday that the seaport needed more space to facilitate the loading and unloading of cargo.

The real estate division of PT Pembangunan Jaya Ancol manages three housing projects in the 168-hectare area, namely Puri Marina, Puri Nusa Dua and Puri Jimbaran. These are eventually planned to form part of a waterfront city: .

Rather than building residential areas, Syarief said it would be better to move a warehouse in Cakung, East Jakarta, nearer to the port.

If Indonesia wants "an international and competitive seaport such as Singapore's," Syarief of the United Development faction said, the real estate development should be stopped.

However, Syarief said he had yet to obtain details from the company on the progress of the real estate expansion. "There are signs of continued construction (of the residential area) towards Tanjung Priok seaport," he said.

Tanjung Priok port now extends to some 604 hectares, with facilities including quays, open storage areas, cargo handling, container handling, and passenger terminals.

In 1991, a warehouse at Tanjung Priok was moved to Cakung given inadequate space at Tanjung Priok.

The company is part of the PT Pembangunan Jaya group, with more than 80 percent of its shares owned by the city administration.

The residential areas in Ancol include townhouses, sports facilities, public halls, parks and docking facilities for yachts.

Syarief added that the city administration must also review the urban design guidelines regarding the development of the northern areas of North Jakarta. He said various "interests" of large companies influenced the drawing up of the guidelines in Ancol. (07)