Imagine unwinding in your home in the fresh sea air surrounded by greenery and wildlife, yet living close enough to the city to commute to the city. This is the lifestyle proposed by AlJurf, a master development rising in Sahel Al Emarat, or Riviera of the UAE, located close to Ghantoot.
Developer Imkaan is building a fenced wildlife sanctuary on the western boundary of the site to protect the animals. “We have already started enticing the animals to move into the sanctuary by increasing the supply of food, water and shelter, so that they become comfortable with this location, and remain in place undisturbed during construction,” said Walid El-Hindi, CEO. Of Imkaan
The development will include picnic areas, running and bike trails all dotted with information about the different mammals and birds living in the area.
“At this stage we envisage a number of educational opportunities such as partnerships with wildlife institutions,” said El-Hindi.
AlJurf stretches along pristine beaches and azure waters. The area is already home to thousands of trees and wildlife, including gazelles, as well as Qasr AlJurf palace.
The developer has identified around 10,000 trees on-site, including mature mango and ghaf trees, as well as date palms, very early in the development stage.
“Many of these were planted by His Highness Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan himself. They are extremely valuable to the environment and heritage of the site,” El-Hindi revealed.
The 370-hectare development will have three districts, some private and some open to the public. AlJurf Gardens will be built first, followed by the heritage village Jiwar Al Qasr and the marina district Marsa AlJurf in the second and third phases.
“Each district comes with its own defining architectural characteristics and a range of facilities and amenities, including two marinas, a town centre, hotels, boutique retail, wellness components, serviced residences and villas, as well as a school,” said El-Hindi.
AlJurf Gardens is expected to be completed in 2021.