Selangor to issue guidelines on gated projects

12/05/2007 NST By Fadzil Fauzi

New guidelines have been drawn up for all gated-and-guarded projects in Selangor, and they will replace the current rules released last October.

Expected to be made public soon after the Selangor State Executive Council meets next week to approve them, a source in the state government said, changes include the standardisation of guardhouse designs and security systems, the extension of services by the local authorities and the better maintenance of common areas by a project's management corporation.

The revised guidelines were drawn up by the state's Housing and Real Property Board and are based on the recent amendments to the Strata Titles Act (STA) 1985 that were gazetted on Feb 15.

Prior to the amendments, there were no provisions in the STA for gated-and-guarded housing schemes. This led to developers facing difficulties in receiving approvals from the relevant authorities, for the law did not permit the issuance of horizontal strata titles relating to bungalow or semi-detached units in a project with shared facilities and services.

Elaborating on the changes, the source said gated communities must now not exceed 20 acres while their guardhouses must not be larger than six-feet by eight-feet.

Access should also not be obstructed by barriers, while security guards have to be registered with the Home Ministry.

Besides that, management corporations have to pay a bond to the local authorities to ensure they will dilligently observe the maintenance of the common areas as prescribed in their agreements.

Selangor Housing, Building and Squatters Management Committee chairman Datuk Mohktar Dahlan said previously, "there were no clear guidelines to follow, and there were many grey areas that eventually led to unresolved issues".

These included the public's right to access an area without screening, the legal rights of management corporations to common areas and the collection of service charges.

"We believe that the new rules will provide developers, property managers and residents with a clearer picture," Mokhtar said, adding that they will also define the jurisdiction of the local authorities within such communities.