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George Town 

Transformation Programme

An initiative dedicated to George Town's regeneration was ongoing. Khazanah launched the George Town Transformation Programme, with the aim of marrying the city's rich historical legacy with a 21st century vision of development based on the principles of economic, social and ecological sustainability.

Supported by global master planners EDAW (now AECOM) and local subject experts, the Heritage of Malaysia Trust (Badan Warisan Malaysia), the programme proposed a proper evaluation of all the city's assets in its approach to regeneration. 

George Town Transformation Programme had an approach to urban development that was based on broader values. Every recommendation and project under the Programme had to fulfil that set of values.

They had to be closely associated with George Town and the wider Penang community. Furthermore, urban interventions needed to respect George Town's human scale, with buildings kept to a particular size and height so as to preserve the city's character. The Khazanah team believed that these interventions should foster partnerships and demonstrate creativity. 

This values-based approach is perhaps the most important contribution of the George Town Transformation Programme to urban planning in Malaysia.

"Development should be respectful, inclusive, sustainable and innovative."

The George Town

Transformation Programme At a Glance

The key objective was to create a collective vision for a sustainable and ‘liveable’ George Town within the Northern Corridor. There were four component projects:

Our Approach

The George Town Transformation Programme was looking for a new approach to urban planning by putting people at the centre of 'city-making'.

The Way Foward

The George Town Transformation Programme engaged local stakeholders and aligned government visions to transition Penang into a talent-driven economy. 

It emphasized reducing crime, improving infrastructure, and enhancing quality of life, incorporating principles of social equity, environmental sustainability, and economic resilience from the Sustainable Penang Initiative.

Creative Cities

The George Town Transformation Programme, inspired by the "creative city" concept, highlights that cities thrive by fostering creativity, attracting talent, and solving urban issues. 

Successful cities support small enterprises through public-private partnerships and integrate cultural assets into planning. Cities worldwide are now establishing services to support local creative economies and encourage sector collaboration.

Regenerating a Historic City

he George Town Transformation Programme, aligned with UNESCO's World Heritage listing, required new resources, regulations, and skills to preserve the site. 

This included traffic calming, phased development, and establishing George Town World Heritage Inc to oversee the site's protection and promote cooperation among stakeholders.

North Seafront Programme
The North Seafront is a major public realm improvement initiative aimed at upgrading the George Town’s north waterfront. The area has been identified as a priority conservation area in the George Town Special Area Plan’s Annexure B.
This report contains the survey results for Think City’s first Business Community Pulse Check. It was conducted in August 2020 in the downtown areas of Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, and George Town.
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