Dubai has approved the Dubai Urban Centres Development Plan, a project with a budget of more than AED2 billion that runs to 2040. The Executive Council of Dubai signed it off on 27 October at a meeting at Emirates Towers chaired by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai.
The idea behind it is straightforward. Put more homes and jobs close to public transport, bring homes nearer to workplaces, and make public services easier to reach.
Key points
- Budget of more than AED2 billion, with the plan running to 2040
- Covers 6 main urban centres and 42 sub-centres, or 12% of Dubai’s urban area
- Residents living around metro stations to rise from 52% to 74%
- Public services coverage to rise from 74% to 85%
- The AED20 billion rise in real estate value is a forecast for 2040, not a price change that has happened
What the Dubai Urban Centres Development Plan covers
The plan covers six main urban centres and 42 supporting sub-centres across the emirate. Together, they account for 12% of Dubai’s urban area. The Supreme Committee for Urban Planning and Dubai Municipality are overseeing it, working with the relevant government entities.
It is built on three pillars: quality of life, economic returns, and infrastructure efficiency and cost. In practice, that means concentrating population and jobs around mass transit stations, mixing land uses, and bringing homes closer to where people work.
The targets in numbers
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Main urban centres | 6 |
| Supporting sub-centres | 42 |
| Share of Dubai’s urban area | 12% |
| Budget | More than AED2 billion |
| Residents living around metro stations | From 52% to 74% |
| Public services coverage | From 74% to 85% |
| Projected rise in real estate value of the targeted centres | AED20 billion by 2040 (forecast) |
More people living near the metro fits with Dubai’s wider transport plans, including its new passenger rail link. Our guide to Etihad Rail in Dubai covers fares, journey times and the Al Yalayis station.
What the AED20 billion figure means
The government expects the plan to raise the real estate value of the targeted centres by AED20 billion by 2040, when it is complete. This is a projection of the plan’s impact. It is not a rise in property prices that has already happened.
“The Urban Centres Development Plan, with a budget exceeding AED2 billion by 2040, will contribute to an increase in the real estate value of the targeted centres by AED20 billion, making them more vibrant places to live, work and invest.”
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai
For investors, the plan gives a clearer picture of where the city wants future growth to go. If you are weighing your options, our guide to the best investment opportunities in Dubai looks at the main routes this year.
Population planning policy linked to D33
At the same meeting, the Council approved the Sustainable Population Planning Policy. It uses data and population growth forecasts to work out future needs for services and facilities and to guide infrastructure plans across Dubai. The policy also supports job growth in high-productivity sectors in line with the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, with the aim of attracting talent, raising the average income of individuals and families and strengthening Dubai’s economic competitiveness.
What we still do not know
The announcement did not name the six main centres or the 42 sub-centres, and it did not give a timeline for individual projects. Those details will show which neighbourhoods are affected first.
Source: Dubai Media Office
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