BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

AREAS in Serusop, Bunut, Subok Valley and Beribi will be upgraded as they have been designated as revitalisation locations under the Bandar Seri Begawan (BSB) Development Masterplan.

The BSB master plan does not only account for the future development of the capital city but also designs for different neighbourhoods beyond the city’s boundaries. Global consultancy firm HOK Planning Group Vice-president and Principal Urban Designer of the BSB Development Masterplan Sylvester Wong said that this was a proposal that could help to increase the value benefit of Bruneians, regardless of where they live, over the long term.

The vice-president told The Brunei Times that areas of development in the four areas include new schools or improvements to the current ones, consolidation of retail centres like central plazas, distribution of primary health care centres, and things that support family values.

“We want to create a tool kit that will enable every neighbourhood to improve over time,” said Wong during the second day of the BSB Development Plan Design Workshop yesterday.

“These are the four areas we have looked at, they present some unique challenges that every neighbourhood might face,” he said.

“Hopefully this will be an inspiration to other neighbourhoods, villages and mukim leaders to take on (similar) developments on their own.”

“We hope that the big focus in the central area will inspire other areas and that investments will naturally flow within the communities over time,” he added.

Wong went on to say that this will also give a sense of participation for those living outside Bandar Seri Begawan. “Everyone needs to participate in establishing a vision for their own city and we want to make sure that everyone feels included in the process.”

Steven Townsend, project director of the BSB masterplan, said that improvements made to the neighbourhoods would shape villages’ identity. “If we can create centres where all of these can be focused at…every kampung will then have a very recognisable and distinct heart to it.”

“It will make it easier for people to recognise where the centre of their village is, where they can go and find things as it becomes less ad hoc and spread out,” added the HOK Planning Group regional director.

“(In addition) all of these uses build upon each other so you get a civic centre for the community. I think this could be a real development model for places like Kuala Belait,” Townsend said.

He said that this could also set up a new kind of consciousness when it comes to planning cities or villages throughout the country. “It will also change the image of Brunei in the world, especially how it relates to the Southeast Asia economy and ecology.”The Brunei Times

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