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RELATED STORIES: Jeddah warns owners over derelict buildings | Saudi targets Jeddah city slums with huge project | Emaar's Jeddah Gate wins big at Cityscape
Residents and property owners in Jeddah’s Ruwais district, earmarked for development as part of the city’s program to tackle its slum areas, are to be paid at least SAR3billion in compensation, according to the Al-Ruwais International Company for Real Estate Development.
The redevelopment scheme – spearheaded by the government-backed Jeddah Development and Urban Regeneration Company (JDURC) – is designed to improve the city’s inner areas with new developments and a better standard of accommodation. More than 50 sites covering 22 hectares of land will be redeveloped, with around one-million people are affected by the plans.
Al Ruwais is one of the first sites – and experts believe the SAR3billion may be increased once a committee from the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry completes its evaluation of the compensation due.
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The redevelopment plans will transform the Al Ruwais area in to a more attractive place for central city living. The modern, high-rise residential and commercial district will include hotels, shopping malls, restaurants, cafes and a massive ferris wheel, bringing the city’s focus back to its centre. The district is located halfway between two of Jeddah’s well-traveled areas: the old city Balad and the upmarket Tahlia Street. The district is also close to the prestigious Al-Hamra district.
Not everyone is happy with the plans. Unsurprisingly, tensions came to a head when residents were handed eviction notices in May, claiming that they were not being compensated enough to relocate. One resident told reporters that the area was steeped in so much history that no amount of money could compensate for the loss he would feel by moving.
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