Strategies for urban conservation: A case example of
George Town, Penang
Abstract
George Town, Penang has more than 200 years of urban history and the largest collection of heritage shophouses in
Southeast Asia. These heritage buildings have remained unchanged since the 1800s in spite of the lack of conservation
legislation. The objective of this paper is to determine which public policy instruments have been effective in protecting the
urban heritage of George Town. In particular, the role played by the Control of Rent Act, 1966, is evaluated. Upon
examination of records on property transaction, rent-control records, development applications and demographic trends,
no conclusive evidence was found that this Act was instrumental in protecting heritage buildings. Instead it was the
unintentional effects of various development policies that saved George Town’s urban heritage.
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