By S.C. CHEAH

YTL Land & Development Bhd will be launching four new products with a gross development value (GDV) of RM980mil in its existing projects in the Klang Valley soon.

They are the RM800mil Pantai Peak in its Pantai Hillpark in Kuala Lumpur, the RM80mil D7 at Sentul East, and the Parkville and Waterville Homes with a combined GDV of RM100mil in Lake Edge, Puchong.

Executive director Datuk Yeoh Seok Kian told StarBiz that Pantai Peak, to be launched end of this year, would be on the last piece of land in the decade-old Pantai Hillpark, a Mediterranean-themed low density development.

It would comprise 233 units of luxurious semi-detached homes and bungalows in an exclusive, open fenceless setting.

He said a bridge would be built to link up Pantai Peak, thus dispensing the need to go through Pantai Hillpark from Kampung Kerinchi.

Yeoh, also YTL Corp Bhd deputy managing director, said YTL Land would also launch the D7 at Sentul East in June. It would be the newest business address in town, and the first commercial project under YTL Land's Sentul masterplan.

It would comprise 166 office and retail units and would have lush landscaping, water features and artistic sculptures in an atrium area.

“This 'New Age Office' will cater to the new generation and is set to invigorate Sentul by infusing a new vibrancy into an area treasured for its rich historical background and architectural and business heritage,” he added.

Yeoh said D7 would be fully WiFi-enabled and be served by two train stations (KTM Komuter and STAR LRT) and the Sentul Link, Duta-Segambut Highway and Duta-Ulu Klang Expressway (DUKE), making KLCC and Mont' Kiara a mere 15 minutes drive away.

As for the Parkville and Waterville Homes, he said, they would be high-end homes in the Lake Edge and would be launched in July.

The 50 units of 2½-storey semi-detached Waterville Homes would have 3,800 sq ft built-up with four bedrooms and a maid's room. Each bedroom comes furnished with an en suite bathroom and the choice to shower in the outdoors. There will also be a private lap pool.

Yeoh said the Meadows (514 units), which was the first phase homes in Lake Fields, Sungei Besi, were sold out within two months of launch in 2005. The project has since been completed and handed over to buyers.

On the recent relaxation of regulations for foreign property buyers, he said it would liberalise the market and provide a large untapped market of tourists as foreign investors.

“Malaysia's high quality products offered at competitive prices that capitalise on favourable exchange rates make our properties an extremely attractive buy.

“The results have been seen for our Maple at Sentul West, which has welcomed many foreign buyers over the last month,” he said.

Yeoh said the young adult segment was also becoming increasingly important from this year, especially for the SOHO (small office, home office) market, which is largely untapped and has great potential.

“When we premiered our Centrio at Pantai Hillpark last November, our strong sales figures showed that there is a huge customer base of young adults who want a highly unique and flexible space to work and live in.

“Currently, not many Malaysians are familiar with the SOHO concept, but that will change over the next two years as more young adults start their own businesses and look to SOHOs as their first purchase.”

Yeoh said another “hot” prospect for 2007 is the increased demand for commercial property.

“Following the freeze in 1999, you will find that with a growing Kuala Lumpur, there is now a greater demand for office space.

“There is a commercial void that needs to be filled in matured residential neighbourhoods,” he said, adding that upmarket residential projects priced above RM500,000 per unit, be it condominiums or landed property, would be in big demand this year.