The Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, unveiled the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, a complete future map for sustainable urban development in the city.
Following the UAE’s vision for the next 50 years, the plan is formulated to enhance the emirate’s urban landscape, dramatically increasing community, economic and recreational areas as well as nature reserves by 2040 along with improving people’s happiness and quality of life in the emirate.
During the launch of the plan, Sheikh Mohammed stated that the focus is to bring up Dubai as the best city to live in for the estimated 5.8 million to reside there in the coming 20 years.
“Areas for economic and recreational activities will double by one and a half times, and the length of our beaches will increase by 400 percent during the next 20 years,” Sheikh Mohammed tweeted, sharing renderings of the proposed plans.
As part of the plan emirate will be split into five main urban areas, Deira / Bur Dubai (city’s historical essence), Downtown / Business Bay (global financial hub), Dubai Marina / JBR (tourism and entertainment), Expo 2020 (international gate for exhibitions and events), and Dubai Silicon Oasis (knowledge and innovation center).
The development aims to increase a sense of community across the emirate, allotting integrated service centers in each area and enhancing interconnectivity by ensuring 55 percent of the population will live within 800m of a main public transport station. Spaces assigned for educational and health facilities will be increased by 25 percent and areas for hotels and tourism by 134 percent.
The images of the master plan clearly show an area dedicated to the emirate’s third airport, outside Dubai Silicon Oasis. Part of the proposed plans also includes vast swathes of green areas in the city with 60 percent of Dubai being dedicated to nature reserves.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Vice President, Prime Minister – UAE Ruler of Dubai
“By constantly striving to raise benchmarks and implementing diligent strategic planning, we have joined the ranks of the world’s leaders in various spheres and sectors. With a clear vision and a deep understanding of what it takes to succeed in an evolving global environment, we continue to work to shape an even greater future rich with opportunities.”
Along with the physical plan, an Urban Planning Law was issued to support sustainable development and improvement in the emirate. Dubai 2040 is the seventh urban plan to be brought into the emirate since 1960, 12 years before the unification of the UAE. Between then and today, the city’s population multiplied 80 times, from 40,000 to 3.3 million.
Under the plan, old districts will be revitalized and designated as Emirati housing. Hatta, an area of Dubai in the eastern part of the country, is also included in the plan to build a sustainable hydro-electric power plant and increasing tourism and agriculture to add to the region’s GDP by 32 percent. At least 78 percent of Hatta will be designated as conservation reserves as the population is expected to double by 2040.
The plan was initially announced last year, with Sheikh Mohammed saying Dubai would create new beaches and 8 million square meters of green spaces. The 29 projects include more spaces for swimming, better running paths and longer cycling lanes.
The beach projects of $136 million target restoring the beachfront and increase swimming areas. Dedicated areas for water activities and jogging and cycling tracks will be provided as part of the overall plan to promote a fitness culture and healthy lifestyle among the city’s residents.
