A modern city to be built in Kean Svay

By Khmerization

Source: Koh Santepheap

A modern city (pictured) has been planned on a 600 hectares of land in Kandal's Kean Svay district, which will be equipped with modern facilities, urban parks, tourist spots and commercial shopping centres.

Mr. Heng Theam, Governor of Kean Svay district, said the city will be developed and built by Vattanac Ltd. He said the Cambodian Development Council (CDC), in cooperation with the Ministry of Urban Planning, has conducted environmental impact studies in the area on 2 or 3 occasions already. The studies found that 4o families had owned the land in Prek Thmey, which will form part of the new city, but had not sold the land to the company yet. He said the villagers hope a proper compensation and an acceptable solution can be worked out for them.

However, Mr. Heng Saing, chief of Prek Thmey commune, said there are 3,600 families living in his commune comprising 16,000 people. He said that only more than 20 families had owned the land in the affected area and that the majority of them had accepted the company's offer of $8-$10 per square metre as a price for their land. He said only a small number of villagers had not accepted the offer yet.

Mr. Yun Heng, director of Planning Assessment with the Cambodian Development Council, said the development is a joint venture between Vattanac Ltd and a foreign company. They have applied to the CDC to build an international standard tourist resort equipped with international standard golf course, luxury hotels, world class appartments, international commercial centre, parks and gardens. He said, however, the CDC has not approved the application yet, waiting for the company to settle the land disputes with the villagers first to avoid impacting on people's land.

Mr. Lim Sidenin, Secretary of State of Ministry of Transport and Public Works, said the new city is situated in a good location which is very close to a planned new highway to be built by a Korean company encircling Phnom Penh City which runs through the new city. The new city is also connected to Highway No. 1 by a bridge over the Tonle Bassac River at Kean Svay.