By: Ramy Sameeh

Abu Dhabi – Mubasher: Total construction and backlog on Al Reem Island has reached 15% of the island’s gross floor area (GFA), said Mohamed Al-Khedr, executive manager of urban development at the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council (UPC) on Monday.

The Council approved the preliminary major design to organise development for projects and public utilities, which will be executed in the coming years, he added on the sidelines of a press conference held in the UAE capital.

The island’s main design will enable developers to continue their work and projects and will also moderate real estate sector expansions, which include residential units, commercial offices and retail shops, in the emirate.

In December 2014, Bunya LLC completed Al Reem Island’s main design in cooperation with the Abu Dhabi UPC and several major developers, which have cooperated for past seven years.

Bunya was established in 2005 by three major project developers on Al Reem Island, namely: Tamouh Investments, Sorouh and Reem Investments, with the aim of taking up the responsibility of the design, implementation, infrastructure management and operations on Al Reem Island, in north east Abu Dhabi.

Tamouh’s development projects make up 57% of the total area of Al Reem Island, whereas Aldar Properties and Reem Investments account for 20% each.

Al-Khedr revealed that the island’s main design includes several major construction projects including 11 new private schools to accommodate 22,000 students, six nurseries, a Sorbonne-Paris University, three private hospitals, nine mosques, policy stations and civil defense centres, added to 500,000 square metres of gardens and public spaces.

Al Reem Island spans a surface area of 8.5 million square metres, whereas total GFA reaches to 20 million square metres, he noted.

The island’s population amounts to 20,000 people. It is expected that the island will attract nearly 210,000 residents upon the completion of all developmental projects.

Translated by: Nada Adel Sobhi