Brunei Darussalam through its “Development Masterplan” to aesthetically remodel its capital is aiming to reconstruct and completely enhance the Kedayan and Brunei rivers into a “Riverfront Corridor” creating a landmark identity that would be just as memorable as the canals in Venice, Italy, officials said yesterday.
Government officials met with Bandar Seri Begawan Development Masterplan project leaders yesterday morning to reveal the latest updates and to receive feedback on the 25-year timeframe endeavour to revamp many parts of the capital.

“We want to get feedback and input from everybody here, the technical committee in particular, to make sure we’re going down the right direction, and to make sure we haven’t missed any details. In a few weeks we want to bring this to the public to get their input,” Steven Townsend, Project Director for the BSB Masterplan initiative, told the Bulletin in an interview yesterday.

The new Riverfront Corridor, he said, is an ecologically-based corridor that is focussed on the Kedayan and Brunei rivers, and includes the hill behind Kg Ayer, which works together as a single ecological entity.

“We believe, just like how the canals in Venice, Italy have such a strong identity, the Kedayan River, if we treat it sensitively and we develop it and bring back the natural elements to it by controlling development on it and enhancing it that it would be just as memorable as the canals in Venice. It will be a landmark piece for the city,” Townsend explained.

The project leader described a vision of a picturesque capital with photographs in the future showcasing the Central Business District with beautiful trees and the bridges crossing the Kedayan River.

Officials also discussed in detail plans to revamp the historic Kampong Ayer settlement that has so far been the country’s most famous landmark and attraction to tourists.

“We’re looking at staged incremental replacement and upgrades to the existing buildings. We want to ultimately rebuild a lot of it in the same positions that the buildings are in, if they need to be replaced. We’re doing an assessment on which ones need replacement and some just need upgrading. We’re going to try to create something that’s more in line with the original, historic development. We also want to find new uses that will enhance its vitality like boutique tourists hotels and bringing back arts and crafts,” he said, adding that they are also working to solve the water quality and sanitary issues to make it more appealing to both the local community and tourists.

“The biggest obstacle is going to be perhaps a mindset change for how we look at the downtown business district, because right now there is a lot of government uses there, and relocating those might be a challenge if we decide to relocate them to provide access to new businesses,” the project leader explained.

Another challenge, he said, might be getting people to transition from a car-orientated community to more of a public transport-orientated community.

“And that means getting the government to commit to providing better public transport. They may have to do that without expecting it to operate profitably. But instead, public transport should be seen as a way to enhance development interests and foreign investment interests and to really create an image for Bandar that’s much higher and more international and really more responsible to the needs of the people,” said Townsend.

The project team together with government officials have been working on the project since September 2009 with plans to finish the initial preparations before September 2010.

“And right now we are at the peak of the design process. The idea process is now marching forward at an amazing pace. So this is the exciting part. This is where we need to get everyone’s ideas and bring them together to create really what I think, is going to be a very dynamic new city in Asia. We’re thinking not just Brunei, we’re thinking about Asian cities. And to do that we need to provide better transport amenities, better cultural and social amenities, we need better hotels. All those things need to come and that’s what’s going to make this a very vibrant city,” he stated.

“This is a safe place for investment financially. For people to have their kids come to school and for people to retire in. The crime rate is zero and Brunei is so safe I can practically leave my car unlocked. It’s a safe place to live and we need to absolutely leverage that in the international community. And there are a lot of people who would love to be there – we just need to provide the opportunity.

“That’s one of our jobs, not just physically master planning this place, but also to inspire the government and the community to open their arms to all this new activity. As long as it’s keeping in line with the fundamental Melayu Islam Beraja (MIB) principles that are here. That’s very important. We’re not going to change the culture, we’re coming to enhance it. And so by that, I think that the economic diversity could be a realised goal, and yes it could happen much earlier than our 2035 target.”

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