New Creek, No Home

The peaceful silence of Jumeirah 2 will soon disappear as dozens of homes in one of Dubai's most sought-after neighbourhoods face demolition to accommodate the upcoming 12km Creek development.

While construction over Shaikh Zayed Road will begin in December, according to a report in Gulf News, many of the residents who will be affected – once construction moves beyond Al Wasl Road – have yet to receive information from owners or authorities.

Though their homes may end up on the chopping block, most area residents are concerned about a spike in rental prices and endless construction in their quiet district.

“Rent will be even higher, now that it will be beside the Creek. For Dubai's development, the Creek is good, but for us, it's not,'' says Eman Saeed, whose house is in the proposed construction site.

“What Jumeirah is now, it's beautiful and it used to be for a higher level [of people], but now, there is more traffic and it's become a tourist area,'' says Saeed.

Still, residents like Christine wonder what kind of reimbursement will be made in exchange for moving.

“Housing is difficult to find at the right price. We are quite happy where we are but if we did move, we would want something comparable,'' she says.

However, she says she isn't going to stress herself out wondering how it will all happen.

“There's so much hearsay – we can't keep worrying.''

Another resident, who did not want to be named, has lived in the area for the past eight years and does worry about heavy construction.

“I think the noise will be horrendous and they will move in loads of cranes, and traffic here will be a nightmare. I'd consider leaving, definitely,'' she said.

Her sentiments are echoed by Jasmine Anand, a Jumeirah resident for the past ten years.

“They build so many things and they build all these new roads, then they go and break it up. They don't care about the expense,'' says Anand.

Though she thinks her house is unlikely to be torn down, she would still consider moving.

“There's going to be a lot of disruption – a lot of noise, all the streets are going to be blocked – and there are no shortcuts,'' says Anand.

Others, like Catalina Pfister, can't be certain her house is not on the list, despite assurances from the home owner.

“We spoke to him [the owner] two weeks ago and he said the villa won't be destroyed but we will never be sure. The problem is the prices of villas in Jumeirah are so high, and if we have to look at another villa, it will be much more expensive,'' said Pfister.

Directly affected by the proposed Creek is Al Shaab elementary school for boys.

“I called the Ministry of Education in February and they said [demolition] may happen after two or three years. But this is a public school and they'll find someplace else and build another one,'' said school principal Amnah Hassan Galadari, who is more worried that her home – located across from Safa Park – may face demolition.

Overall she says, having a newly built school – courtesy of Creek construction – is good news. And she's not alone.

One resident said: “That's Dubai I guess. The bigger picture looks to create green space and a waterfront. We all have to be prepared to move and most of us are expats who rent, so it's not such a scary thing. I'm pretty chilled about it.''

A popular area

Jumeirah is one of the oldest neighbourhoods in Dubai and a prime residential location known for quiet streets, parks, villas and large mosques. Property in this area is not freehold but is home to many expats and UAE nationals.