Dubai: If you are planning to invest in a property on the basis of master plans, experts advice caution. The sprawling golf course or exclusive club or a lush green landscape planned by the developer may not happen as the project evolves. We list some examples where this has happened. As the property market hots up again and several projects roll out, we visit some prominent communities to report on the status of some finished and unfinished projects.
THE LAKES, EMIRATES LIVING
900 villas and townhouses
WHAT WAS PLANNED
Vast expanses of greenery
WHAT WAS DELIVERED
Over 100 villas called Al Ghadeer
Developer Emaar’s response
No response despite several reminders
Resident speak
A Lebanese homeowner said: “When I moved here in 2008, the place was a lot more greener. But not so anymore. Now there are hundreds of villas on those vast expanses. It does bother me, but I still love this place and don’t want to relocate elsewhere”
JUMEIRAH ISLANDS
750 villas in 46 clusters within
manmade islands spread over
300 hectares
WHAT WAS PLANNED
A 3-par 6-hole golf course, club-house and recreational facilities
WHAT WAS DELIVERED
Luxury villas called Jumeirah Islands Mansions on the space earmarked for the golf course and club house
WHAT WAS PLANNED
A park, row houses, retail outlets and restaurants
WHAT WAS DELIVERED
Jumeirah Heights (2,300 apartments) and Jumeirah Islands townhouses (84) none of which were in the original masterplan
WHAT WAS PLANNED
Landscaped areas in the community
WHAT WAS DELIVERED
More independent villas
WHAT WAS PLANNED
A fancy entrance with decorative water fountains alongside the gate
WHAT WAS DELIVERED
A plain entrance with just a makeshift cabin for security guards
Developer Nakheel’s response
No response despite several reminders
Resident speak
A British homeowner said: The new developments took place without our consent. We want answers from Nakheel and urgently need an Interim Owners Association (IOA) to take up concerns with the developer.
JUMEIRAH BEACH RESIDENCES (JBR)
36 towers along a 1.7 kilometre waterfront stretch in Dubai Marina
WHAT WAS PLANNED
Exclusive private beach club access to residents as per the sales and purchase agreement
WHAT WAS DELIVERED
Public beach club. JBR residents have to take club membership to access the facility
WHAT WAS PLANNED
Free parking for visitors
WHAT WAS DELIVERED
A new development called ‘The Beach’, comprising 70 retail outlets have come up on the space earmarked for free parking
Developer Dubai Properties Group (DPG) response
‘The Beach’ project involves the creation of more than 1,000 underground parking spaces which is a lot more than what was originally available in the open parking lot. This will greatly alleviate traffic and parking issues at The Walk at JBR. In addition, the venue will provide a variety of retail and entertainment offerings for both JBR residents and visitors. Although a beach club was originally part of the JBR map, no commitments were made to provide free resident access as this had never been planned. We have announced plans to develop a beach club at JBR with work expected to commence in the next few months.
DPG’s master-plans are constantly evolving to address changing consumer needs and market demand. As the master-developer of The Walk at JBR, DPG will continue to enhance it — not just for thousands of residents living here — but also for millions of visitors it receives annually.
Resident speak
A German resident of Iraqi origin said: “JBR is getting some really massive and fabulous developments which will surely attract visitors. However, we wish it could have been built elsewhere instead of the JBR beach coastline. JBR is popular for its beach and we wonder if it will be compromised?. Already, traffic is a big concern for residents. I fear it will get even worse.”
MOTORCITY
Motorsport themed development that includes residential units, business towers, retail outlets and motorsports facilities
WHAT WAS PLANNED
Dubai Autodrome
Auto Mall
Five-star hotels
Business Park MotorCity
F1-X theme park entertainment
Green Community MotorCity
UPTOWN MotorCity
WHAT IS YET TO BE DELIVERED
- F1-X theme park entertainment
- Five-star hotels
- Business Park MotorCity
-Auto mall built, but yet to open
Developer Union Properties’ response
No response despite several reminders
Resident speak
An Indian homeowner said: “We invested into MotorCity based on the things promised in the master-plan. Many years on, most of the developments are yet to see the light of day. We feel cheated. We did not just buy a unit here, but bought into the larger community. Since that is still not up, we decided to rent our apartment out and live elsewhere in Dubai.
JUMEIRAH LAKES TOWERS (JLT)
Mixed-use development comprising 65 residential and commercial towers and 200 retail outlets.
WHAT WAS PLANNED
Four lakes
WHAT WAS DELIVERED
Three lakes; the space earmarked for the fourth one has been used to construct:
- A 55,000 sqm park to be completed by 2013 end.
- A new mosque
- A parking and landscaping area.
Developer DMCC’s response
A Dubai Multi Commodities Centre Authority (DMCC) spokesperson said: “We have made and planned enhancements in line with the evolving demands of the community. The park, for example, was a much requested feature that we have accommodated by converting one of our four lakes and has been well received by residents and owners alike. The mosque has always been a part of the master plan, but the location has changed as the community has naturally evolved in the 11 years since the original master plan was drawn. The upcoming business park and world’s tallest commercial tower, which we are building in response to demand, will be constructed on land that has always been intended for future development – as part of the original master plan. There are more than 75,000 people living and working in the community and we maintain a constant dialogue with the Interim Owners Associations (IOAs) of JLT towers. As a result of these conversations, we have decided to pursue enhancements to the community.
Resident speak
A Indian homeowner said: “It’s a good move to convert one of the lakes into a park. We needed it badly. There are no mosques here so it’s good to have one”
