ABU DHABI // Reem Island residents living near a beach have voiced anger that the area is turning into a rubbish tip.
The canal-like stretch of water in front of Reem Diamond and Mangrove Place was a major selling point for landlords when looking to attract new residents to the area.
The developer, Aldar, in a video posted on the website for Reem Diamond, shows an animated mock-up of a luxurious beach that residents can use – which was supposed to have opened by the end of last year.
In reality it remains barricaded and a warning is posted prohibiting residents from swimming in the area.
When The National inspected the area last week it was clear that rubbish and debris from nearby construction sites had washed ashore.
“Lots of rubbish, construction material and bits and pieces are littered there,” said J H, a South African resident of Reem Diamond.
“While renting the property we received impressions of having a private beach and found it, but it’s not even walkable and its barricaded,” she said.
“Abu Dhabi is such a beautiful city and then you come here and see the beach in such disrepair, it is disappointing,” she said.
She said that for the annual rental price of a two-bed apartment in Reem, roughly Dh170,000, you could almost afford to buy a one-bedroom apartment in upmarket Johannesburg.
“The beach opposite Mangrove Place and Reem Diamond cannot be open at this stage of development. Several construction projects surrounding the beach area were delayed,” Aldar said.
“It is risky at this stage to open a beach for the use of public as it will entail the mixing of construction activities of adjacent developments with beach visitors, which can be a serious safety concern.
“The original plans were to have all Shams beaches complete by 2015 upon completion of the third-party developments. Despite the completion of the beach works, Aldar is not in a position to open the beach for users.
“To enhance on the water circulation in this area, Aldar has planned and constructed a canal to connect the western and eastern shores of Shams Abu Dhabi. The opening of the canal is planned in [the] second quarter of 2015.”
Aldar held building workers responsible for throwing debris, bottles, plastic bags and said it was “true that construction debris washed out into this beach from adjacent developments”.
S C, another Reem resident said: “We have reported the opening and uncleanliness matter several times to Aldar, but they kept promising dates and [they are] never enforced.
“Most rubbish comes from the construction sites to the still water of the beach. Aldar shouldn’t leave the place to be a rubbish site,” he said.
Residents James Mayes from England and Kurt Peterson from Denmark echoed the concerns and said that they had also been promised a beach – but for the time being they go to Abu Dhabi Corniche to unwind instead.
anwar@thenational.ae
