New Patong Headland To Unlock Land Development

Posted: 17 Apr 2012 | 6:00 am

Reading a news piece in the Phuket Gazette about the Patong Municipal Council's decision to study opening up a new southern access road to the headland area would appear to create a value add for property development in the area.

Currently access to the Tri Trang, Emerald Bay, Freedom and Paradise beaches is only possible from the oceanfront beach road going through Patong. A number of new hotel and upscale residential offerings are located in the headland area including Hong Kong's New World Development who are building a luxury mixed use project, Amari Residences, Centara Grand Moringa, Bluepoint and the Absolute Twin Sands Resort.

Bangkok's Gaysorn Group also have the Cape Paradise luxury villa estate in the area which has been on hold since the Global Financial Crisis.

While the government has been quoted as saying the new road would lessen traffic in the congested main Patong area, it's a bit illogical given a recent decision to reserve the traffic flow on the beach road which had run from south to north and now will go north to south. Those wishing to access the headland would either have to travel the beach road anyway and the quickest way would be to use the existing road. Optionally a winding trip via the back or third road would eventually get you to the new access if it pushes through.

So is the move meant to alleviate traffic or unlock more land opportunities remains the question? Arguably construction vehicles and loaded trucks would benefit from a new road.

Meanwhile the traffic loggerhead in Patong remains a critical issue for development, especially if the headland area is going to position itself as the upscale neighborhood of the area. A tunnel is badly needed and the island's infrastructure continues to lag private sector investment.

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