MORE affordable houses are being built for Johoreans.

United Malayan Land Bhd (UM Land) recently held a ground breaking for a project to build 1,122 medium-cost flats under the Johor Affordable Housing Scheme.
Under the scheme, the Johor government aims to build 60,000 houses by 2020 and additional 40,000 units by 2023.

UM Land will build the flats at UMLand Seri Alam spanning across a 7.47ha site. There will be 421 units of Perumahan Komuniti Johor (PKJ-B) and 701 units of Rumah Mampu Milik Johor (RMMJ), which are 14- and 16-storey high, respectively.
The units (850 sq ft) in PKJ-B will be priced at RM80,000 and in RMMJ (1000 sq ft) at RM150,000.

UM Land said in a statement it will take 36 months from commencement of construction to finish building all the units.

“We are delighted to participate in this meaningful collaboration with the state government where we aim to cater to local demands for affordable living and quality lifestyle. This is in view of the ever-increasing housing prices that are one of the main concerns among Malaysians,” said UM Land director Datuk Syed Ahmad Khalid Syed Mohammed in a statement.

UMLand Seri Alam is already home to 80,000 residents with multiple educational institutions ranging from international schools to higher education facilities.

Upcoming construction projects, such as Lee Chong Wei International Sports City and the Third General Hospital, will further add to the township’s easily-accessible amenities, said Ahmad Khalid.

UM Land aims to play a vital part in Johor Baru’s development through the provision of affordable living to Johoreans while maintaining their high quality standards in construction.

It is taking extra steps to ensure the comfort of future residents through careful placement of each residential block to minimise direct sunlight onto the housing units, as well as maximising air flow between the building blocks.

In addition, UM Land hopes to achieve a vibrant communal space in the heart of a lush, green environment by transplanting trees and shrubs throughout the residential area.