Cover Story: Suburban lifestyle option for first-time housebuyers

Half a decade ago, few people knew where Puncak Alam was, and those who did thought it was on the other side of the world. City & Country took a drive there one recent morning, and along the way, saw gleaming modern buildings giving way to plantation land and kampung houses.

Formerly an oil palm estate under the Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) in a locality commonly known as Bukit Cherakah, Puncak Alam has become more vibrant and modern as new developments mushroom. Connectivity has improved by leaps and bounds and more amenities and facilities have been added.

Puncak Alam is a 14,000-acre township in the Kuala Selangor district that has the capacity for a population of 350,000, according to information provided by property agents.

It was developed by Bukit Cherakah Development Sdn Bhd in the late 1990s, but Puncak Alam Housing Sdn Bhd took over as the principal developer of the township in 2001.

Subsequently, Puncak Alam Housing parcelled out parts of the land for joint ventures with other developers, which resulted in numerous sub-townships. Currently, Puncak Alam comprises mainly the residential component, with a small portion for commercial and industrial purposes.

According to Landserve Sdn Bhd executive director Tan Kim Seng, Puncak Alam is bounded by undeveloped land, with the Kuala Lumpur-Kuala Selangor Expressway (Latar) and Bandar Tasik Puteri in the north, Jalan Sungai Buloh and Guthrie Corridor Expressway (GCE) in the east, Jalan Bukit Cherakah and Kampung Bukit Kapar in the south, and West Coast Expressway (WCE) in the west.

There is a wide range of amenities such as shopping destinations (Tesco and Econsave with Jaya Grocer in Eco Grandeur), primary and secondary schools (Sekolah Kebangsaan Puncak Alam and Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Puncak Alam), recreational facilities (Bukit Cherakah Forest Reserve and Puncak Alam Golf Driving Range) and shops, clinics, petrol stations and banks.

The township is strategically located northwest of the Klang Valley and easily accessible from all major conurbations, says MacReal International Sdn Bhd associate director Gan Boon How.