RIYADH, 13 June 2003 — As part of a plan to give Riyadh a facelift by developing vacant plots of land around the city, the Riyadh municipality has launched a greenery project under which it will set up two public parks.
The municipal authorities, while pledging to promote green areas around the city, have also asked real estate developers to comply strictly with the new building regulations.
Speaking to reporters after inaugurating a real estate exhibition at the Riyadh Exhibition Center, Dr Abdulrahman Al-Sheikh, deputy mayor of Riyadh, said: “The real estate market is booming and the participation of many real estate companies in the exhibition indicate the growth of the sector and the incessant demand for housing and residential properties in Saudi Arabia.”
According to a report, Riyadh is on its way to becoming the first mega-city of the Gulf region, with its population projected to touch 11.1 million by the year 2020. As a result it will need 1.5 million additional housing units. The area of the capital city will expand proportionately and cover 1,800 sq km during the next decade, from the current area of 800 sq km.
“We have already opened a huge public park nearby called Thumamah Park. Now, we have plans to establish these two public parks — each measuring 300,000 sq mt.
“These park projects have been launched on the initiative of the municipality”, said the deputy mayor. He added that they would include small lakes, jogging and walking facilities, green areas, prayer facilities and a host of other services.
He said developers in Riyadh are required to comply with new municipal laws for the construction of high-rise buildings. The municipality, he said, allowed construction of taller buildings only on King Fahd Road and the Ring Road.
