Proper planning for related infrastructure is important when launching new projects

There are many so-called ‘community developments’ in the UAE these days, and more and more keep coming. But one can often wonder whether the main developers of these projects have really put in the required thought and planning necessary to ensure ultimate success of these.
Of course, they will argue strongly that they have – international master-planners have been used, top-level architects consulted, comprehensive infrastructure considered and lots of time and money invested in making a ‘quality environment’ that meets the needs of the community.

The reality though is that very few of the community developments delivered so far have, in fact, met the full requirements of the community. Sometimes, the reasons are beyond the control of the master developer, and that is more excusable.

But very often it is just because insufficient thought and expertise has been allocated to the pre-development stage.

Consider, for example, the Arabian Ranches (planned and developed by Emaar). A great concept – equestrian facilities with a desert’ style golf course, and a community shopping center for the residence.

To a greater or lesser extent, much of this has been delivered, but did anyone think about the increased traffic flow on Emirates Road, especially as Dubailand-related projects moved into the construction phase, and later still, the occupation phase?

Clearly not, I guess, or we would not have had to see a massive re-development of the traffic circle to accommodate this factor, which has a hugely debilitating effect on the residents to get in and out of their community especially at peak times. Emaar will argue that this is an RTA issue and beyond their control, but surely and major developer would be in collaborative consultation with the provider of roads and, in particular, traffic access and egress to their project site long before taking the project to the market?

I was recently witness to a presentation on a huge development, which was more of an urban planning process than just development plan and was impressed with the level of thought that had gone into the pre-development stage. This was less along the lines of exactly what the project needed to have and more along the lines of what type of experience the developer wanted resident and visitors to their project to have.

Apparently, the mandate to the master-planners identified six key requirements:

Memory – This related to the traditions and history of the site and an effort was to be made to retain these essential elements.

Pleasure – This had to do with the relaxation and recreation elements of the project, and was primarily related to the resort, and especially the beach and golf course zones.

Nature – The environment was to be protected but more than this, it was to provide open areas for residents to rest and play, parks and sports fields, and natural undeveloped areas to be enjoyed.

Art – This element related to the cultural and learning aspects of the development, and provided for both specialized educational facilities as well as broad based entertainment aspects.

Energy – This was the description given to the main commercial zone, where there was to be higher living densities and a sharing of resources and facilities. This is where business will be generated and careers built.

Family – There was to be allowance made for areas for the family to gather, children’s play areas, shopping and entertainment, food and beverage outlets, medical facilities, etc.
One could argue that there are other factors that are important and relevant, I am sure. But I liked this ‘Big Picture’ view of considering a living environment in which thousands of people are going to interact with each other on a number of different levels.

It moves away from the specific and deals more with the ‘experience’ that living in this community will offer. If the high level objectives contained in this mandate are constantly referred to in all planning aspects, then the details of what is to be done, and where and how, will start to take care of themselves, and specific infrastructural design will work around these criteria.

It is interesting also to note that the pre-development planning stage of this project has taken some two years where as I would guess that many of the master-planned communities that have been launched in recent years have taken much less time to conceive and to get promoted in the market.

Generally speaking, in this are of development, less time means less input from experts, and less time to consider and make adjustments, and this often equals to poor end quality of the project.
Furthermore, as the saying goes, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. The ultimate long-term success of a development would be measured by the sustained demand for residential properties or commercial space by companies with in the zone, which translates into continually rising values.

This is the measure of its real success, and the jury is still out, I think it is fair to say, on quite a few existing development zones that in the short-term appear to be winners.