The Birch @ Jalan Ipoh

The Birch Location

The Birch is located at Jalan Kasipillay, near Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah (also known as Jalan Ipoh) in the bustling city of Kuala Lumpur. Jalan Kasipillay is part of Kampung Kasipillay, a former rubber estate plantation area till the late 1950s, in which the first phase of housing development was then carried out. Houses in Kampung Kasipillay are well sold due to the close distance within Sentul KTM in those days. As one of the townships in Segambut district, Kampung Kasipillay has become a mature housing estate today. Jalan Kasipillay, in which it gets its name from this neighbourhood, is rich in Indian culture as exemplified by numerous Indian-owned shops. This observation is not surprising as the area is named after Kasipillay, a respected Indian Tamil headman and the owner of several properties in the locality during the older days. Nowadays, it is a predominantly a middle-range neighbourhood and most of the older condominiums are owner-occupied.

The area is gradually undergoing redevelopment as demonstrated by the introduction of new condominium projects in recent year, marking the potential and emerging opportunities of the area in property development.

Established residential properties nearby The Birch including Court 28 Residence, Putra Majestik Condominium and Viva Residency have indirectly aided in providing convenience for residents in terms of amenities. Overall, the area has retained its charm as a traditional retail area where shophouses line up along the streets.

The traffic condition in Jalan Ipoh/Jalan Kasipillay is generally smooth with slight congestion during peak hours. However, it can heavily depend on the traffic at roads nearby, weather and incidents that can happen anytime around the area.

The residents’ safety in the area is ensured by the Sentul District Police Headquarters that one takes about 7 minutes’ drive from The Birch. This provides peace of mind for the residents who live nearby the police station as the crime rate in Kuala Lumpur with a population of almost 1.8 million is somewhat higher than other big cities in Malaysia.

Connectivity

The Birch is accessible via major access roads and highways such as Duta-Ulu Kelang Expressway (DUKE), Jalan Tun Razak, Jalan Kuching and Mahameru Highway. It is worth noting that it is just 300 m walk from The Birch to MRT Sentul West Station, which is expected to be in full operation in July 2022. Along with its current accessibility to nearby KTM (Sentul and Putra) and LRT (Sentul and Titiwangsa) stations, The Birch appeals to working-class buyers who take public transport to go to work due to the reason that the traffic in Kuala Lumpur can be a nuisance at times.

Convenience

There are various business outlets such as convenience stores, hardware shop, express delivery service, self-service laundry services that are only five minutes’ walk from The Birch. These shops provide essential services for all residents nearby. This area is also a haven for food enthusiasts especially those who crave for Indian food as there are numerous Indian restaurants serving Northern and Southern Indian cuisines.

In its vicinity are three major shopping malls (Sunway Putra Mall, Publika Shopping Gallery and KLCC), which provide convenience for residents who prefer to shop at modern commercial buildings than at local amenities.

The Birch also provides access to a wide range of schools from primary to tertiary levels for parents who hope to strike a balance between whereabouts of their children receiving education and distance to their residence.

Numerous medical facilities range from hospitals to medical centres is also reachable within 10 minutes by car from the development. This is good news for health-conscious residents at The Birch.

Transportation

• MRT Line 2 Sentul West (under construction)
• KTM Sentul
• LRT Sentul
• LRT Titiwangsa
• KTM Putra

Education

• SMK La Salle Sentul
• SMK (Perempuan) Jalan Ipoh
• Wesley Methodist School Kuala Lumpur
• SK Convent Sentul 1&2
• SMK Sentul Utama
• SJK(C) Sentul Kuala Lumpur
• Chong Hwa KL Independent High School
• SJK(C) Chiao Nan
• SJK(C) Chi Man Sentul Kuala Lumpur
• SJK(C) Khai Chee
• SJK(C) Lai Chee
• International University of Malaya-Wales

Shopping

• Sunway Putra Mall
• Publika Shopping Gallery
• KLCC

Hospital

• Lourdes Medical Central
• Sentul Medical Centre
• Hospital KPJ Sentosa KL Specialist
• Hospital Kuala Lumpur
• Institut Perubatan Respiratori
• Hospital KPJ Tawakkal Specialist

The Birch Floor Plan

At The Birch, there are five unit layouts of different sizes (611 sq.ft. to 983 sq.ft.) that purchasers can choose from. The Birch takes up 1.86 acres to be developed and it offers 681 freehold suite apartments in two 41 storeys blocks. All units are North-South-East orientated with the exterior design of the building based on old yet timeless buildings. The car park starts from Level 1 to Level 7 with facilities located on level 8.

The residential units, on the other hand, are located at Level 9 to Level 41. For similarities, each unit type has at least two bedrooms with one being a master bedroom, installation of air conditioners in the master bedroom and living room, water heater points in bathrooms and home-fibre/Astro ready. However, each unit layout is catered to purchasers with different requirements and they can be summarized as followed.

Type A1 (196 units), the smallest size (611 sq.ft.) of unit layout available at The Birch, comes with two bedrooms and a split washroom. The latter can be advantageous, i.e., the toilet and bathroom can be occupied by two individuals simultaneously in separate spaces, thus avoiding the need for waiting to use one of these basic amenities if they are confined within the same space.

Type A2 (130 units), of the size 668 sq.ft., follows a similar layout as type A1 with two bedrooms. However, it offers a slightly better term than Type A1, i.e., Type A2 has a dedicated bathroom in master bedroom and a shared bathroom. This makes privacy more attainable despite the unit size.

Type B (293 units), of the median size (819 sq.ft.), follows the terms offered by Type A2 but with a third bedroom and a balcony. It is perfect for those who value a pocket of outdoor area that Types A1 and A2 do not offer.

Types C and Ca (31 units each), with sizes of 983 and 960 sq.ft., respectively, are the two larger unit layouts at The Birch. Besides having similar features as Type B, Types C and Ca have an additional utility room, which can be converted into a bedroom, a guest or a storeroom.

Both types are very similar in terms of their layout and suitability for medium-sized families. There are two parking bays dedicated to residents of unit Types C and Ca, as opposed to only one for that of Types A and B. Note that the major difference between layouts of Types C and Ca is the kitchen location in the unit, whereby the kitchen, living and dining areas in Type C are aligned, as opposed to the separated kitchen space in Type Ca.

Overall, units of Types A1 and A2 are suitable for couples, small families as well as city dwellers who work in the city centre. Types B, C and Ca, on the contrary, suit medium-sized families who enjoy a high-rise living experience within a mature neighbourhood.

The Birch Facilities and Amenities

The facilities and amenities that The Birch offers are no short of a standard condominium should have. These include a children’s playground, a BBQ area, a gym and a multipurpose hall. However, its unique selling points are an Olympic-length swimming pool and reflexology path that cater for those who want aerobic exercise and reduce pain/ psychological symptoms, respectively, with the same aim of being healthy.

Facilities (located on Level 8):

• Herb garden
• Yoga deck
• Children’s playground
• BBQ area
• Multipurpose-hall
• Olympic-length swimming pool

The property is equipped with a three-tier security system that will make the residents feel safe. This system consists of 24-hours security with CCTV surveillance, panic buttons at the car park and access cards to the designated floor.

The Birch Property Analysis

SCP Group initiated the construction process of The Birch in late 2018. The developer has already achieved a take-up rate of 65% for The Birch to date and this is considered as a remarkable sales result since the development is only scheduled to be completed in 2023. The Birch’s location proves to be a winner when it comes to accessibility in getting to and fro the city centre. This is coupled with its easy connectivity to highways. That being said, its location and demographic of localities may not be the cup of tea for buyers who are looking forward to living in a more high-end neighbourhood.

Target Market

The Birch targets small- to medium-sized families, couples and investors. This is evident from the relatively small unit sizes with number of bedrooms in their offerings. Easy connectivity of the residence to major access roads and highways will be attractive to those who work in the city centre. Last but not least, the development will appeal to investors for its competitive pricing as compared to other places like Mont’ Kiara. In addition, they will be looking forward to the completion and operation of MRT Sentul West Station that may act as a catalyst for rental and capital appreciation of The Birch upon its opening.

Competitor Analysis

The main property developers in the region of Jalan Ipoh are The Group, OCR Group Berhad and Malton Development Sdn Bhd. The projects under these developments are different in terms of their target market, selling points and pricing. Relative to its peers, The Birch sits in the lower-end spectrum of the price range. This can be attributed to its smaller unit sizes offered to the public. In all four projects, the price PSF of Duta Park Residences is lowest followed by that of The Birch. However, The Birch is a freehold property while Duta Park Residences is leasehold. On the other hand, the price PSF of The Pano is the highest (from RM 770) among all four projects whereas Duta Park Residences has the largest built-up range of 858 – 1538 sq. ft.. The Birch has the second lowest price PSF (from RM 570) with moderate built-up range of 611 – 983 sq. ft.. Scheduled for completion in 2023, The Birch is the latest development offering in the area with Court 28 Residence being the oldest property built in 2019. The Birch can certainly lure prospective buyers considering it is a new development in the area.

Taken altogether, people can afford for a high quality of living standard at a reasonable pricing as the slogan ‘Metropolitan living for everyone’ marketed by the developer for The Birch.

The Birch Developer: SCP Group

Formerly known as Systematic Corporate Parking Sdn Bhd, the foundation of the SCP Group was traced back to 1999 and is probably most well-known for its parking division — SCP Parking that emerges as a recognized leader in car park management services and one of the largest owners of parking bays nationwide. With the group’s involvement in property development operations as SCP Property Development Division in early 2011, SCP strives to establish itself as a respected competitor in the construction industry.

Till now, a total of 11 projects have been completed under the belt of SCP with properties in seven projects including The Birch, Flora Residency, Traders Garden, Taman Bukit Damaisari Phase 3 & 4, Pangsapuri Selangorku Seruni, Damaisari and Somerset are currently open for public sale. Furthermore, four projects (Mosaic, Acacia, Kiara Maison 1 & 2) are in the current development pipelines of SCP. So far, all SCP completed projects are handed over to purchasers within the scheduled time frame or earlier, a trait the purchasers always welcome or desire of.

Summary

Shortly, The Birch is targeted at those who are looking for a high level of high-rise living without breaking the bank. It is important for a prospective buyer to consider the advantages (location, convenience, ownership, and amenities) that SCP Group provides in The Birch. The advantages of the development outweigh its disadvantages and there is no doubt that future buyers should consider relocating at The Birch.