GEORGE TOWN: Penang Port Commission (PPC) is calling for a request for proposal (RFP) to develop three plots of land under , a 30 year-lease to unlock their values.
The plots are in Tanjung City Marina, measuring about two hectares and Jalan Anson (0.6ha) on the island as well as Jalan Chain Ferry (1.8ha) on the mainland.
The Tanjung City Marina, which is within George Town's Unesco World Heritage site, has been left abandoned since 2014.
It was built at a cost of RM43 million in the early 2000s by the then federal government to rejuvenate the former Church Street Pier.
The other two plots of land used to site PPC's club houses.
Newly-appointed PPC chairman Jeffrey Chew Gim Eam said there were some concerns raised about plots of land owned by PPC which were left without progress, in terms of development, hence PPC announced the RFP today.
"They have been left too long...and when you leave something for too long...they will start to degrade. It will get too expensive to repair and then the interested parties will slowly move away.
"Because of that, we want to address this quickly. We believe that we have to unlock their values.," Chew told reporters here today.
The RFP is opened to all interested parties, be it locals, foreigners or even joint ventures. The RFP documents can be obtained for RM1,000.
Chew said the RFP for the Tanjung City Marina land would close at noon on December 11.
He said those interested to develop the land should first conduct a feasibility study on the suitability of the site.
"Bear in mind that this area is considered heritage area, and a lot of items have to be heritage-compliance.
"They have to go through the local council. So, those interested cannot simply say they want to build a 10-storey building there," he said, adding that those interested to develop the land not necessarily had to revive it as a marina.
"Our aspiration is this. The Swettenham Port is an extensive project and right now the cruise liners are bringing in many tourists into the are.
"So, any development has to complement the pier, be in line with its direction. We are not expecting other types of development there," he noted.
He said redevelopment costs for the marina could be between RM80 million and RM90 million.
As for the Jalan Anson and Jalan Chain Ferry plots of land, the RFP will close at noon on July 11.
Chew said the Jalan Anson land, on a prime location, had been zoned for institutional use, meaning that anything which is not 100 per cent commercial can be considered such as colleges or hospitals.
"I have been getting calls, enquiring about this piece of land from an instituion of higher learning. For the Jalan Chain Ferry land, it is currently surrounded by residential units," he said.