The Abu Dhabi-based master developer Bloom Properties has signed a contract with the Iraqi authorities to start initial work on 40,000 homes in the holy city of Karbala in Iraq.
At a ceremony attended by the Iraqi prime minister, Nouri Al Maliki, on Thursday, Bloom agreed to start work on developing the Shores of Karbala housing project. The development will be divided into four districts and include hotels, offices, markets, clinics, schools and mosques.
Bloom, a subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi-based National Holding, will put together a final detailed master plan for the scheme for the governor of Karbala.
It will also complete tasks such as surveying the land, obtaining building licences and preliminary approvals. In a statement yesterday, Bloom did not provide any information about the cost of the project or how it would be financed.
A Bloom spokeswoman was unable to respond to questions.
The news comes five months after Bloom signed a cooperation agreement with the Iraqi ministry of construction and housing to work on property projects in Iraq on the sidelines of the Cityscape Global exhibition in Dubai. "With the signing of this contract, we are set to commence work on the preliminary planning phase," said Simon Azzam, the chief executive of Bloom Properties, one of the signatories to the contract. "This is one of the largest real estate projects in Iraq and will be developed in several phases."
"The project will contribute to the urban planning development of Karbala," said Sami Al Araji, the chairman of Iraq's National Investment Commission.
"Our strategy is to take the holy city to a new level by improving the distribution of population density and urban centres and shaping it into a vibrant metropolis."
lbarnard@thenational.ae
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Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Short-term let permits explained
Homeowners and tenants are allowed to list their properties for rental by registering through the Dubai Tourism website to obtain a permit.
Tenants also require a letter of no objection from their landlord before being allowed to list the property.
There is a cost of Dh1,590 before starting the process, with an additional licence fee of Dh300 per bedroom being rented in your home for the duration of the rental, which ranges from three months to a year.
Anyone hoping to list a property for rental must also provide a copy of their title deeds and Ejari, as well as their Emirates ID.
