Country Garden Pacificview Sdn Bhd has signed the second contract for Forest City Phase Two in Johor, Malaysia. The development will feature three international-standard golf courses, one five star hotel and low-density residential buildings on an 8 sq km segment of the larger project. Construction of the hotel and the first golf course is expected to commence in May, with plans to open for business by the end of this year.

Forest City covers an area of 20 sq km,  and it calls for the creation of ‘city of the future’ with an ecologically sound urban layout that meets international standards in every respect. It is believed to be Southeast Asia’s first and largest mixed-use green development in terms of the number of units to be built with a vertical greenery and smart city design theme. Located on man-made islands in Iskandar Malaysia, the development is expected to fuel the economy in the region and neighbouring Singapore.

According to Country Garden, Forest City has already attracted the participation of various firms in the construction, transportation, tourism, education and health sectors. Among them is the Taiwan-based healthcare management company MJ Group, which plans to build a health management facility that is scheduled to open within this year; Shattuck-St. Mary's School, a coeducational boarding school based in the US, which intends to begin recruitment in August and open a school in the city next August; as well as a duty-free shop set to open in July.

In addition, several homeowners have recently taken possession of the first completed residences at Country Garden Fengqi Apartments, located on the grounds of Forest City Phoenix Hotel. When fully completed, there will be 132 apartments.

The site of the building containing the residences was originally underwater, and was transformed though landfill into a new area, said Country Garden. A wide range of support facilities, including a transportation centre, a five-star hotel, a commercial thoroughfare lining the oceanfront and a beach park, have also opened and are in full service.