This article first appeared in City & Country, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on January 9, 2023 - January 15, 2023

Out of 4,000 acres of palm oil estate land acquired by S P Setia Bhd in Shah Alam in 2002, 791 acres was set aside to develop 

Setia Eco Park, a high-end project comprising only semi-detached houses and bungalows with individual freehold titles.

According to Setia Eco Park general manager Desmond Ong, Setia Eco Park has just under 3,000 units of semidees (60%) and bungalows (40%). While the initial gross development value (GDV) of the whole township is RM2.2 billion, Setia Eco Park’s estimated GDV is RM6 billion. It has 19 phases in total, with 10 completed.

“We started in 2004. It is a joint venture between S P Setia with 50%, Employees Provident Fund (EPF) with 34% and Great Eastern Life Assurance (M) Bhd with 16%. They have been with us since Day 1,” he says.

“There are three precincts. Precinct Nusantara, the first to be launched, consists of bungalow land, bungalows and semidees in three phases. It was fully sold and handed over to residents for property management in 2014. We are now focusing on the two other precincts: Precinct Tropika in the southern area and Precinct Duta on the northern side.”

Ong points out that the developer had set out to build a green environment before the issue of sustainability gained prominence. It wants to build quality homes and set aside green spaces like parks and water bodies so that residents can escape from the concrete jungle and commune with nature.

To this end, the developer has dedicated 94 acres — a 59-acre forest park; 26km of lakes, streams and creeks; 37 solar-powered fountains; 25 pocket parks; and a hybrid solar-electric waterfall. There are also the 9.5-acre local community centre and the 3.5-acre Canopy Club. All these help residents to mingle and stay connected to nature while living sustainably.

He adds that the contour of the land in Setia Eco Park is undulating, with the northern side slightly higher. The highest peak is 42m, where the Forest Hill Villas development — launched in 2018 — is located.

Due to the greenery and its location next to the Bukit Cerakah Forest Reserve, Setia Eco Park has a cooler temperature. In the morning and evening, it is 1C to 2C lower than other places in the Klang Valley, says Ong.

Besides taking care of the environment, the developer also ensures there is security for the residents’ peace of mind. For example, the 24/7 world-class perimeter security fencing, the AGILFence System, has optical fibre wavelength filters that detect climbing and cutting. The system is used in Changi Airport. There are also 24-hour guard patrols, individual home alarm systems and panic buttons linked to a central guardhouse.

Additional security is provided by double boom gates at the guardhouses to prevent tailgating and each resident has a specially designed “DNA tag”, which is similar to RFID (radio frequency identification).

“Maintenance is key to keeping the value of the properties and making sure things are not rundown,” Ong says, adding that the maintenance team also engages with property management companies to manage certain areas of the development.

He says that maintenance fees are set by the residents’ associations because of the individual titles of the homes. He estimates the fee for a semidee is around RM400 per month while that for a bungalow is around RM600 per month.

The infrastructure of Setia Eco Park was also carefully designed. Utility lines are concealed below ground while roads are winding to slow down traffic and ensure pedestrian safety.

Good response

In Precinct Duta, there is a section called Paradise of Birds because it is located next to the Bukit Cerakah Forest Reserve and the greenery planted is visited by many species of birds such as hornbills, kingfishers, songbirds and hummingbirds.

This section contains the Straits of Heron, which has several exclusive collections of bungalows and semidees located on a 20-acre peninsula. It has two phases.

“Straits of Heron 1, Phase 18A (the first phase), which was launched in February last year, consists of 54 units — 42 semidees and 12 bungalows — on about 12 acres with a GDV of RM131 million. It is fully sold,” says Ong.

The semidees have a built-up of 2,950 sq ft and a land area of 41ft by 85ft. The bungalows have a built-up of 3,500 sq ft and land areas of between 65ft by 85ft and 75ft by 85ft. Selling prices start at RM2 million.

“We were very eager to release Straits of Heron 2, Phase 18B (the second phase), which consists of 30 semidees and 13 bungalows with a GDV of RM110 million. The total GDV of Straits of Heron is RM242 million with a total of 97 units, 72 semidees and 25 bungalows,” explains Ong.

The phase was launched on Nov 27 last year and all units were sold in one hour.

“We are thankful for the warm response and support from our valued customers as well as returning customers, as we continuously innovate to meet current homebuying needs,” says Ong.

Phase 2 semidees and bungalows have the same dimensions as Phase 1 and what is unique about the homes in both phases is that they all have Peranakan design elements. Ong says this gives the project a Malaysian touch, in contrast with other products that have European or Western influences.

The houses are unfurnished, allowing buyers to renovate according to their desires. There are air wells that allow for ventilation and natural light to enter the homes. The houses have solar water heating and rainwater harvesting systems to reduce energy and water consumption.

Ong reveals that building materials were sourced sustainably to ensure low carbon emissions in the building process. “Sustainability has always been part of our DNA.”

The target market for Straits of Heron products is the upper-middle class, affluent people and business owners.

Facilities at Straits of Heron include an outdoor gym, a meditation deck, a tai chi deck, pocket gardens and viewing decks. All these social and open areas are designed to resemble bird feathers or other avian features.

Other facilities include F&B outlets at D’Network, which has a supermarket for residents to purchase groceries. The Canopy Clubhouse has been upgraded and renovated over the last two years. Residents can use all the facilities in the club by signing up and paying a monthly subscription.

Ong reveals that in the first quarter of this year, Setia Eco Park will launch 32 bungalows with built-ups of 3,900 to 4,400 sq ft with an estimated selling price of RM4 million and upwards. More details are forthcoming.

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