State local government committee chairman H’ng Mooi Lye said the new hawker centre is expected to be ready in the first quarter of 2027.

He said it was planned as a relocation site for traders now operating at Anjung Gurney and around the Gurney Drive roundabout. The move is expected to affect 105 traders: 93 at Anjung Gurney and 12 temporarily licensed hawkers operating from static sites around the food court.

H’ng said the new hawker centre was a main public component of the waterfront development, intended to provide a more organised, comfortable, and suitable space for hawkers, aligning with Gurney Bay’s role as a public recreational area and tourist attraction.

He was responding to Joshua Woo (PH-Pulau Tikus), who asked about the new hawker centre, including its facilities and rental rate.

H’ng said that construction was under way, with physical progress at the site now at 4.16%. He said the hawker centre would have 127 hawker stalls, seven drink stalls, 17 retail units, and 43 mobile kiosk sites.

He also said the number of tables and chairs had not been finalised, as this would depend on the final interior layout.

Rental rates will be decided after accounting for the centre’s operating and maintenance costs to ensure long-term sustainable management.

H’ng said most council-run food court lots are currently rented out at between RM8 and RM800 monthly, depending on size, facilities, and location.

He said Gurney Bay was still under the supervision of Chief Minister Incorporated (CMI), and that once the hawker centre was completed, CMI would appoint an operator to manage it.

He added that existing Anjung Gurney traders would receive first priority, followed by the temporary hawkers operating around the Gurney Drive roundabout.

The Penang Island City Council submitted details of the traders involved to CMI on April 28.