A new port of call

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The UAE's smallest Emirate, Ajman, is set to step out from the shadow of its famous neighbours, as Jamie Stewart finds out

They moved the bottle shop. Executives at Ajman Marina Real Estate Development’s (Amred) site office used to be able to purchase a cold beer or a quenching soft drink after a hard week’s work from right on their doorstep. Now, they face the arduous task of crossing a main road and walking 400m down the pavement.

If ever a sign was required as to the depth of commitment being displayed by Amred towards its flagship Ajman development, such a sacrifice is surely it. This commitment to the cause is admirable, reflecting the fact that the US$ 3 billion (AED11 billion) Ajman Marina marks a vital part of the future plans for the UAE’s smallest Emirate.

Amred is, in fact, a joint venture between the Saudi-based investment firm Tanmiyat Group and the Government of Ajman, and it was formed especially for the purpose of developing the marina. The brief for the project was produced in consultation with the Government of Ajman, which is now seeking to build on the reputations of nearby Dubai and Abu Dhabi though developments such as this one.

A Supportive Government

“The Government of Ajman has given us its full support,” says Ajman Marina general manager Azad Nouri. “As our partners they have assisted by speeding up approvals and facilitating the work.”

Ajman Marina administration manager, Dr Ali Osman, has been working closely with the government and the municipality on the project. “We have had good support all the way,” he says. “The planning department, civil defence and so on have all been very helpful.”

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As a sign of the lengths that Amred is going to in order to redevelop the area, the nearby Ajman Port will be moved to a new location in two years’ time. In total the marina master-plan contains 30 towers. It will be a mixed-use development, including residential, commercial and retail space, plus the obligatory shopping mall. The built-up area will be in the vicinity of 1.6 million m² and will be home to between 13,000 and 15,000 residents with approximately 35,000 users, according to Amred.

“We had to reclaim the land to create enough depth on the site and to redefine the Marina perimeter walls,” says Nouri. “Phase one is reclamation work, knocking down the existing wall, reclaiming land and building the new quay wall. This work will take 18 months to complete from our start date on September 4.”

The master plan, which was designed by HOK, is now frozen. “We are moving to the next step of design, which will cover all of the buildings overlooking the marina,” explains Nouri. The conceptual design for the buildings will be ready next month.

Amred is seeking to ensure that all the apartments within the buildings it is developing have a sea view, utilising the waterfront location to the full. Residential sales will be launched off-plan.

“We have floor plans, which allows us to begin the sales – something we’ll do in phases,” explains Nouri.

All of the areas away from the waterfront are being sold to sub-developers. In total, there are eight residential plots and five office plots; of the eight residential plots, six have already been sold, each to a different sub-developer.Harmonious themes Amred is seeking to ensure continuity in the design of all buildings in Ajman Marina by assisting its sub-developers with outsourcing architects to design each individual building. Guidelines are defined in a document called the DCR, or Development Control Regulations.

“We created the DCR, in conjunction with the master-planners, to ensure that the buildings are built to a common theme,” says Nouri. “It defines the guidelines in terms of usage of buildings, shapes, heights, infrastructure, and so on.

“In this area, there are no regulations, so rather than leave it up to developers to build haphazardly we wanted to limit what they can and cannot do. We hope to ensure a harmonious theme.”

Nouri says that he is unaware of any other developer that has made the effort to devise regulations, with the exception of the government. To further ensure compliance, sub-developers’[ designs must be presented to Amred, who will review them and give initial approval before they go to the Ajman Municipality for final approval.

However, Ajman’s influence on the overall development does not stop with the master-plan or approval; the project will include three iconic buildings – a hotel, an office, and a floating yacht club, all of which are Amred developments.

“Logistically, we anticipate that construction will pose a challenge,” says TPM project manager Ammar Al Kital. “With all the layers and different stages of construction going on, project management will be complicated.”

“We also have to maintain flow of traffic around the area,” adds Nouri. “Though we have to fence around the site, we will be keeping essential roads open to ensure that we do not disturb the community’s transportation needs.

“The other challenge is in constructing buildings to the right quality in the shortest possible duration.” As project manager, Al Kital will be overseeing the development from beginning to end. “I will be here for quite a while,” he laughs.