A US$1.6 billion planned satellite city in Chroy Changvar peninsular will relocate only families that do not live in communities and demolish some houses to make way for 12 access roads in three communes in Russei Keo district, officials said yesterday.

Officials from Chroy Changvar, Prek Leap and Prek Tasek communes and representatives from developer Overseas Cambodian Investment Corporation met with municipal deputy governor Nuon Someth at city hall yesterday to discuss the 387-hectare project.

Prek Leep commune chief Preap Mony said villagers would be permitted to live within 100 metres of National Road 6A and pagodas and burial grounds would not be touched. However, 12 roads would be built through the national road to give access to the satellite city, which would require removing some residents’ houses.

“We will negotiate with house owners or landowners,” he said, adding he did not know how many people would be affected or how they would be compensated.

“For old villages [where many people have lived for years] we have to cut from the development, but separate houses which have been built alone must be removed.”

Chroy Changvar commune chief Pich Saroeun said two villages in his commune would be affected, which included nearly 1,000 families.