DEVELOPMENT OF GATED COMMUNITY HOUSING IN THE CONCEPTS OF A SAFE TOWNSHIP

The rise of the gated community housing concept is a global phenomenon that is also seen in Malaysia. Gated housing schemes have become increasingly popular in recent times because residents feel unsafe and fearful of crime. They perceive that the authorities have failed in their duty to ensure public security. Housing developers, too, have encouraged the growth of such communities. The rising crime rate in urban areas and fear of criminal elements are among the principal reasons why residents move to gated housing and guarded neighbourhoods. As such, there is growing importance being accorded to the Safe Township concept where crime prevention measures based on the ‘Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED)’ model have been adopted in gated communities with the aim of reducing crime and allaying fears of crime. The CPTED model in the Safe Township concept exploits the built environment towards these ends, while it enhances the quality of living and helps to improve developmental planning of gated communities.