Investors are showing growing interests in Qatar’s emerging new city centers like Al Rayyan, Al Wakrah, Al Shamal, and Al Daayen. There is a rapid movement of developments in these suburbs, which signal increasing urbanization now taking place in various municipalities across Qatar, an official from the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME) has said.
In light of the Qatar National Vision 2030, the MME has adopted a national framework in 2014, which will guide urban development in Qatar over the next 20 years. These plans and policies aim to ensure a high standard of living for the residents, manage population growth and build a sustainable community which is designed for the well-being of Qatari people and expatriate residents in the country.
“Establishing new cities initiative is part of the Qatar National Master Plan and the Municipal Special Development Plan. There are a number of developments in emerging new city centers, and they are increasingly growing to attract investors as well as residents. We cannot have the same center of Doha as the only hub of business,” said Mohamed El Alaily (pictured), Senior Specialist for Engineering Program/Projects Management at MME, while talking to The Peninsula on the sidelines of an event recently.
He added that aside from the ongoing infrastructure and road developments led by the Public Works Authority (Ashghal), there are also commercial, industrial, and logistics developments planned to be further developed in the new city centers.
“There will also be more residential developments for locals and expatriates in order to encourage the growing concentration of the population in Doha to move into these emerging city centers,” he added.
Real estate transactions are also significantly increased in these emerging localities. Al Wakrah, Al Khor, and Al Rayyan enjoyed a healthy amount of interest from investors and recorded QR2.89bn worth of transactions in July alone.
“By offering building and land plots for multi-use projects such as offices and living spaces, these city-projects are positioned to create communities that will contribute to Qatar’s commerce and residential real estate markets,” Carlo Schembri, Exhibition Director of Cityscape Qatar previously said.
To facilitate infrastructure and road developments in the country, Ashghal previously said it will spend more than QR45bn in the next five years. Some of these construction projects include expressways (QR18bn), local roads (QR25bn, and drainage projects (QR10bn).
El Alaily added that some of the ongoing construction projects will also feature green initiatives. He added: “The MME recently allocated QR750m for the Doha beautification project. Qatar is now more conscious of constructing green buildings. All of these developments are aimed towards green cities and green buildings”.
The Peninsula
01/10/2019
