This article first appeared in City & Country, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on April 4, 2022 - April 10, 2022

Phase 2 of Sime Darby Property Bhd’s (SDP) detached factories in Bandar Bukit Raja Industrial Gateway has achieved a take-up rate of 95% since its launch on Sept 25 last year. Meanwhile, the developer’s residential project Alura, launched on 

Dec 4 last year, is 90% taken up. Both are located in Bandar Bukit Raja, Klang, Selangor.

Occupying 39.02 acres, Phase 2 has a gross development value (GDV) of RM250 million and will comprise 49 detached factories with built-ups of 8,387 and 20,197 sq ft, priced at RM5.5 million and RM11 million respectively. They are due for completion in January 2025.

SDP group managing director Datuk Azmir Merican tells City & Country in an email that the factories will have modern and flexible architecture to meet industrial demands. The open space concept means that there will be an efficient and flexible production area that is suitable for one’s own use or can be rented out, as well as a floor loading capacity for production area of up to 15kN/m2.

The factories, which are designed to allow cross ventilation, have an extruded coping design for a modern look and a large front façade logo placement that increases brand exposure. “Sufficient openings and glazing with passive heat-resistance materials and insulation will be incorporated in the factories to maintain optimal temperature, as well as large and tall window openings to promote natural light,” says Azmir.

He says the factories will be built using economical locally sourced building materials and have built-in solar panels on the roof, along with rainwater harvesting features to irrigate the landscape. The units cater for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), business owners, industrial and logistics players and multinational corporations.

Phase 1, named Gateway 16, has been fully taken up since its launch in 2014. Completed in 2017, it comprises 116 detached factories with built-ups of 3,622 and 8,388 sq ft, and prices started from RM1.63 million. Azmir notes that the fundamentals of a good industrial development are location and connectivity, and when combined with a positive market forecast, it would be attractive to potential buyers.

“We see an opportunity for industrial properties as new supply is lacking. Many industrial areas on the fringes of the city are ageing and facing congestion issues while other industrial land in highly populated areas are becoming increasingly expensive. This is coupled with the exponential growth in the country’s e-commerce sector that will push demand higher for these factories in Bandar Bukit Raja,” says Azmir.

“The freehold land with individual titles provides flexibility to factory owners to expand or renovate according to their requirements in the future. In addition to its impeccable location, the township enjoys a consistent pool of skilled talent, mature infrastructure and a diversity of businesses across the supply chain ecosystem,” he adds.

With an estimated GDV of RM105 million, the 19.93-acre Alura project will comprise 187 two-storey terraced houses. The 20ft by 75ft and 22ft by 75ft units will come in 4-bedroom and 3- or 4-bathroom layouts, with built-ups of 1,540 sq ft for the intermediate lots and 2,000 sq ft for the corner and end lots. Priced from RM646,888, the homes are expected to be completed in October 2023.

According to the developer, Alura is a stylised version of “allure”, which means the quality of being attractive, interesting or exciting. Homes at Alura are designed to fit a variety of lifestyles, catering for the needs of first-time homebuyers, small and multigenerational families, young couples, young professionals, retirees and those who are keen to invest.

“The units will have practical and open plan layouts to encourage bonding in the family by allowing more flexibility and better personalisation in terms of design and configuration. The master bedroom is designed to be larger to ensure a higher amount of comfort for homeowners to create their dream room,” says Azmir.

“There will be column-free car porches for better accessibility, thus providing ease of parking and better movability, as well as a spacious backyard in each unit. By providing extra space at the back, residents have the flexibility and option to expand their homes as their family grows,” he adds.

Furthermore, the units will come with Feature Plus items, such as air-conditioning and water-heater power points, as well as an alarm system and internal water pump points, which ultimately reduces the hassle of renovation and helps homebuyers save on costs.

The houses have been designed to suit the niche demand for smaller landed homes within the affordable price range. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, Azmir notes that demand for terraced houses have remained strong, as people realise the importance of space when they spend more time at home for work, study, leisure and family time. “Alura is also a testament to our commitment to design the right product at the right price and at the right location.”

Residents will have easy access to Alura’s four distinctive parks, namely The Community Park, The Welcome Vista, The Linear Park and The Fitness Park. Azmir says the parks have been meticulously designed to suit all generations, from the young to the elderly. With a dedicated jogging and cycling track as well as walking lanes in a zen-like environment, Alura aims to provide comfortable and easy living for its residents. The project is also near the 125-acre Bandar Bukit Raja Town Park, the largest park in Klang, which has lush greenery and well-established amenities.

Alura is part of the self-sustaining and fully integrated Bandar Bukit Raja. Spanning 4,333 acres, the freehold township has a total GDV of RM16.4 billion and comprises residential, commercial and industrial properties.

The township is located close to malls such as Tesco, Giant, AEON Bukit Raja and AEON BiG Klang, as well as educational institutions like SJK (C) Pin Hwa 2, SMJK Kwang Hwa, SMK Bandar Setia Alam, Tenby International School, Universiti Teknologi Mara and Universiti Industri Selangor.

Bandar Bukit Raja is only 17km from Port Klang, making it a highly desirable location for businesses based in the country. It is easily accessible via the New Klang Valley Expressway, West Coast Expressway, Federal Highway and Shapadu Highway.

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