Khor Fakkan beach to be transformed into world-class tourist destination
Plans to revitalise Khor Fakkan beach will turn an old and sleepy fishing town into a tourist attraction, Sharjah’s development authority says.
The project, which will transform the three-kilometre stretch of public beach into a recreation centre, was announced yesterday by Shurooq, the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority.
Building on the picturesque beach, which is framed by mountains, will be carried out in two phases.
The first will begin on the south side of the beach, from the port to the roundabout, and will include an amphitheatre, a walkway overlooking the beach, a skating rink, sports courts, picnic areas and playgrounds.
Restaurants, cafes and beachfront shops will also be built, as will gardens that incorporate Islamic architecture. There will also be changing rooms for swimmers.
The second phase will focus on the northern area of the beach, where picnic areas for families will be set up.
A completion date for the development was not announced but it is hoped the project will boost local and international tourism to Khor Fakkan and the east coast, state news agency Wam reported.
Marwan Al Sarkal, executive chairman of Shurooq, said the authority was keen to make Khor Fakkan one of the most attractive tourism destinations while preserving its aesthetics.
“The city of Khor Fakkan is one of the most beautiful cities on the east coast of the UAE,” Mr Al Sarkal said. “It is an ideal destination for visitors looking to relax in nature.
“The development offers endless attractions for families and tourists. It provides modern facilities and highend services that will add value and encourage a healthy lifestyle among residents and visitors to Khor Fakkan.”
The project was launched under the directives of Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, and will be carried out in co-operation with the Sharjah Directorate of Public Works and Khor Fakkan Municipality.
Residents welcomed the developments, saying the project would introduce the area’s unique landscape to the world.
“Our beach is very unique, where the mountains meet the sea, and it needs such development to catch the interests of local residents and the world,” said Majid Al Naqb, 46, who was born and raised in Khor Fakkan.
“We are very proud of our leaders and we look forward to seeing the project grow.”
Bashair Al Bloushi, a homemaker, said she was looking forward to the opening date.
“It’s a great idea to benefit from the beauty of Khor Fakkan beach and transform it into a world-class spot,” Ms Al Bloushi said. “People come from all over the country to enjoy our beach and with the new project the area will boom.”
Abu Dhabi real estate developer Imkan plans to build a Dh15 billion “riviera” project located on a stretch of coastline between the emirate and Dubai targeting the nascent second-home investment market.
The project, called Sahel Al Emarat, or “Riviera of the Emirates”, will occupy 370 hectares of land in Abu Dhabi’s Ghantoot nature reserve, close to the Dubai border.
The first phase of 293 small, “ranch-like”, villas – called Al Jurf Gardens – will cost about Dh2 billion to build and is scheduled to be completed by 2021.
“The concept of buying a second home in the UAE does not really exist in the country, yet we believe there is sizeable demand,” Walid El Hindi, chief executive of Imkan, a subsidiary of private equity investor Abu Dhabi Capital Group told The National.
“This is the first time someone is building a fully integrated leisure community where you can buy a holiday home to escape the city, and it will fill a niche in the market.”
Two further phases are planned, including Jiwar Al Qasr in phase two – a museum created from the refurbishment of an existing palace on the site – and Marsa Al Jurf, a marina, canal, more residences and leisure facilities in phase three. There will also be a “fishermen’s village” with narrow alleys and low-rise buildings.
The project will place a strong emphasis on nature and seek to conserve the existing 100,000 trees, turtles and other wildlife at the Ghantoot reserve, creating a coastal retreat for UAE city dwellers similar to New York’s The Hamptons, Mr El Hindi said.
Residential property values and rents in the UAE have fallen after a three-year oil price slump. However, developers have resumed activity and launched new schemes in the past year, buoyed by increased government spending and a resurgence of oil prices that breached $80 per barrel last month.
Many new projects are seeking to drive tourism – either domestic or international – in line with government ambitions to increase the number of visitors to the UAE.
Imkan has financing in place “for least 20 per cent of the project as required by UAE real estate law”, and Imkan has a “very good balance” of debt and equity across its project portfolio ranging from 30:70 debt to equity, to 40:60, the chief executive said.
The tender for phase one will go out in the first quarter of 2019 and construction is expected to commence in the second quarter.
Imkan is building four other projects in Abu Dhabi. Its most high-profile is the 18-hectare Makers District on Reem Island, which is intended to become a hub for creative businesses and workshops.
The company plans to announce two further projects before the end of this year as it continues to ramp up its offering of “soulful” mixed-use communities, said Mr El Hindi. He declined to reveal additional details.
In April, Jassim Alseddiqi, Imkan’s board member and chief executive of Abu Dhabi Financial Group, told The National
Imkan has a 30 million square metre land bank to develop in the years to come.
Imkan’s other schemes are the 46,000 square metre Sheikha Fatima Park, a public realm project under construction at present, and Nudra, a luxury development of 47 villas on Saadiyat Island, which broke ground earlier this year.
It is in the schematic design phase of Ras Al Akhdar, a luxury hotel and residences unveiled at the Cityscape Global conference in Abu Dhabi in April.
The project is designed by British architect Thomas Heatherwick, founder of Heatherwick Studio in London, which is designing Singapore’s Changi Airport expansion, among other projects.
The company’s pipeline also includes one scheme under construction in Egypt and two in Morocco, with the Alburuoj project in Cairo scheduled for handover in the second quarter of next year.
The project will place a an emphasis on nature and seek to conserve the 100,000 trees, turtles and other wildlife