The Bahrain Real Estate Investment Company (Edamah) recently announced the approval by Bahrain’s Higher Urban Planning Committee, chaired by His Royal Highness and Prime Minister Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, of the overall master plan for the so-called Bilaj Al Jazayer Development, a 1.3 million m2 mega mixed-use project. The master plan develops the Bilaj Al Jazayer public beach, located on the southwest coast of the country, and includes the construction of hotels, leisure and entertainment facilities, restaurants, commercial and residential areas. International architectural firm Fosters and Partners is responsible for the first of a series of phases through which the master plan for the project will be developed.
According to the Bahrain News Agency, Edamah chairman Khalid Al Rumaihi said the approved master plan is designed to strike a balance between economic and social development and environmental sustainability, in line with the Kingdom’s commitment to reduce carbon emissions to zero by 2060. The mixed-use coastal city will incorporate green and clean technologies to purify the air and reduce temperatures, as well as shaded promenades that encourage walking and minimise the need for cars. He added that buildings will also be designed to reduce exposure to heat and, as a result, the electricity needed for air conditioning. The infrastructure will also include water recycling and solar power generation facilities.
The project aims to strengthen Bahrain’s position as a global tourist destination. According to Al Rumaihi, ‘Bilaj Al Jazayer (…) it will contribute to the advancement of infrastructure in the Kingdom of Bahrain and add value to the tourism sector’. All phases of the development plan will be undetaken “taking into account both cultural values and market demand“. The Edamah general director further assured that “the public can expect a number of new project announcements in the coming months and years as we partner with local and international investors“. In fact, the construction of two facilities have already been announced: the Avani and Tivoli hotels, which will open in 2024 and will be the first hospitality projects in Bilaj Al Jazayer.
