Abu Dhabi: Over 13,000 villas will be built for Emirati families across the capital.

The Urban Planning Council (UPC) has so far invested Dh21 billion in the Emirati Family Housing Programme.

It plans to provide well-equipped villas and surrounding facilities for Emiratis.

The project will start early next year.

The UPC has signed eight deals which will provide an additional 7,500 new homes for Emiratis in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and the Western Region.

"We have tendered eight major projects worth Dh13.5 billion to local developers who have proven to be technically ready to take on these projects. We selected these developers based on a holistic point of view; it's all about supply and demand," said Falah Al Ahbabi, UPC general manager, during a press briefing yesterday to announce the Emirati housing project.

The local developers involved in the project include Sorouh Real Estate, Tamouh Investments, Royal Development Company and Al Qudra Real Estate.

Amenities

Some of the planning and designing ideas for the villas include sustainability, flexibility to climate change, a network of paths and pedestrian friendly streets, nearby community facilities to meet the needs of residents, and ample open space.

Sorouh is also developing a Dh2.7 billion project in Sila'a.

The 448 villas will be especially designed to house Emirati families according to UPC's sustainability guidelines.

The Dh5.5 billion Jebel Hafeet Emirati housing project is due to be completed by 2014.

Jebel Hafeet project

Spanning 4.4 million square metres at the western base of Jebel Hafeet, and 13 kilometres south of Al Ain's city centre, the development consists of 3,000 villas, schools, mosques, community shops, as well as facilities close to the new Jebel Hafeet White Water Park.

The Ain Al Fayda project in Al Ain, located near the Jebel Hafeet mountains, includes 2,000 Emirati villas with all necessary recreational, educational and cultural facilities. The Dh4 billion project developed by Al Qudra Real Estate is expected to be completed in 2015.

One of the largest projects by Aldar — Al Falah in Abu Dhabi — is worth Dh9 billion and is due to be completed by December 2012.

Al Falah will provide 5,000 homes comprising nine types of villas.

The project comprises five villages, each with its own village centre, schools, mosques and other community facilities.

Dh1 billion has also been allocated for Yas Island (Phase 1), which will be the site of a major Emirati housing project being developed by Royal Development Company on the waterfront.

"We're working on 450 villas today for phase one. Phase two is still under discussion and will take a couple of months to be finalised," Al Ahbabi.

Sorouh is also developing a 1.9 million square metre community of 1,372 luxury villas in Khalifa City A.