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The new mall by Majid Al Futtaim will be located in the heart of Masdar City. Image Credit: Supplied

Dubai: Majid Al Futtaim announced on Tuesday its plan to build a new eco-friendly mall in the heart of Masdar City in Abu Dhabi.

Dubbed My City Centre Masdar, the project is part of the company's Dh30 billion investment strategy in the UAE. It will cost Dh300 million to build and will be one of the world’s most sustainable urban developments.

Scheduled to open by the end of next year, the proposed retail destination will have easy access to planned smart public transport options including buses, light rail transit (LRT) lines and the metro network. 

"[The mall] will be served by integrated transport links, including an Abu Dhabi Metro line running along the main boulevard with a station situated next to the mall, within easy walking distance," Majid Al Futtaim, which has 20 shopping malls in its portfolio, said in a statement.

Its rooftop parking area, which will accommodate 430 vehicles, will be covered with photovoltaic panels. Electricity and water consumption of the mall is expected to be 40 per cent lower than comparable buildings.

Once completed, the mall will be home to 60 outlets sprawled across 18,000 square metres of gross leasable area (GLA), including a Magic Planet family entertainment centre, a 5,760-square-metre Carrefour hypermarket, a City Centre clinic to provide community-focused healthcare services and convenient dining options for both residents and professionals within Masdar City.

Around 2,000 people work at Masdar City today and the residential population is expected to exceed 3,500 people within the next two to three years.

"We are proud to be collaborating with Majid Al Futtaim Properties as part of our ambitious plans to deliver world-class retail, residential, commercial and hospitality projects at Masdar City," said Yousef Baselaib, executive director, sustainable real estate at Masdar City.

Also known as a "low carbon city" and located next to Abu Dhabi International Airport, Masdar will have around 35 per cent of  its planned built-up area completed over the next five years.

Nearly nearly 30 per cent has already been "committed to, including private homes, schools, hotels and additional office space." Up to 40,000 residents and 50,000 workers and students are anticipated to be based at Masdar City by 2030.