A less satisfactory picture is seen in the urban squatter who continues to be a problem despite the persistent efforts of the authorities to ease the situa tion haphazard development along the main roads beyond the limits of municipal control, and mounting traffic difficulties at key points in the existing arterial pattern.
What then, of the future? In 1956 a technical report* was received from a United Nations planning adviser, Grenfell Rudduck, who visited Kuala Lumpur in 1955 at the invitation of the Government to assist the resident planning staff in formulating proposals for town and regional development.
His suggestions, some of which had already been made and accepted in principle, included setting aside special areas for 'self-help" squatter housing a system of building based on a plot ratio which would permit high structures particularly in the central area, an improved system of communications and vehicle parking, revision of zoning conditions to allow mixed residential and commercial development in the town centre and a higher density in the existing open residential zones.
To keep pace with the increase in population (estimated to reach 650.000 in 1980, with jobs for an additional 75,000 persons required in the next 10 years) the creation of two new satellite towns or
THE HONG KONG & FAR EAST BUILDER
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VOLUME 14, NUMBER 3
suburbs has been proposed, planned on the lines of Petaling Jaya and linked by a suburban rail service. where new industry should be located and additional Government offices built.
Unless this policy of decentralisation is followed it will, in Rudduck's opinion, be impossible to avoid excessive concentration of traffic in the central part of the town, in future.
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