500 metre-high commercial building Thai Boon Roong Twin Trade Center, which is to be built on the former amusement park Dreamland’s 4.97-hectare complex, will begin construction in mid 2017, according to insiders working on the building’s development.

In September, it had been reported that the altitudinous building would begin laying foundations before the end of this year. However, the project’s start date has been pushed to more than half a year later.

Tous Sapheoun, deputy secretary general of Board of Architects Cambodia (BAC) and one of the architects currently working on the twin towers’ design, stated that logistical problems had been the cause of the delay.

This was after a suggestion by Minister of Land Management Chea Sophara for the development to inch 2.5 metres away from the gates opposite Nagaworld.

“If there aren’t any [more] obstacles, the construction of the twin skyscrapers will start in the middle of next year, because we already have all the steel and technical structures in place,” Sapheoun said.

According to developers, the project now costs an estimated $5.1 billion to develop – in partnership with Macau-based Sun Kian Ip Group, with construction to be managed by Hong Kong’s Hsin Chong Construction Group Ltd.

Sapheoun concluded to Post Property that the building’s architectural design had been completed; what is left is the approval from the land ministry’s leading authorities in order to go ahead with construction.