A new stage in housing
Published: 04:12 PM,Dec 12,2021 | EDITED : 10:12 AM,Dec 13,2021
A successful and prosperous housing sector has been one of the most important features of the Sultanate of Oman’s development over the last four decades. The government continues to ensure necessary land for the housing of its citizens.
Significantly, a substantial amount in the state budget is allocated to provide the citizens with the necessary funding that would enable them to find places of their residence.
Hence, the housing policy reflects the importance of this sector. The country has made every effort to provide the necessary land for the housing of citizens. Simultaneously the government also builds housing units for low-income residents, and provides housing assistance and housing loans.
The housing plan for 2021 is in line with the national priorities of Vision 2040 and based on the National Urban Development Strategy — performance indicators, initiatives and ambitious projects.
The Sultanate of Oman has reached a new stage in housing services, namely with the project “Integrated Residential Neighbourhoods”, which supports existing housing policies in the country, such as the search for suitable alternatives to provide adequate housing for citizens eligible for residential land allocations.
Described as ‘Al Souroh’, this national initiative was conceived as part of the government’s vision to provide quality homes to the citizens at an affordable price. The projects under Al Surouh will be integrated communities with infrastructure and community service facilities including mosque, commercial complexes, health centres, public parks, outdoor sports facilities etc.
And the projects are considered a first-of-its-kind as it is based on Public Private Partnership (PPP) model, and are being assigned to a real estate company for development according to the best standards.
The projects aim at promoting the ownership of homes by developing quality housing in integrated neighbourhoods at reasonable prices, providing new alternatives to reduce the volume of applications of citizens entitled to residential lands under the Land Law and its annexes, and stimulating the economy through the involvement of the private sector.
Towards the end of October this year, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning rolled out the process for local and international real estate developers to compete for five new integrated residential complexes.
According to the ministry’s announcement, the planned complexes are expected to offer up to 4,800 housing units to Omanis eligible to receive residential land. And will be able to accommodate 24,000 people.
A total of five new projects with a total area of 1.9 million sq metres will be developed in the governorates of Muscat, Al Dakhiliyah, and Al Batinah South.
Priority in the project, which will have all the requirements and modern lifestyle at a very attractive price, will be given to those who are “to residents of areas close” to these complexes. They will be surrounded by an integrated system of infrastructure services as well as social and services facilities available for citizens.
In the first quarter of this year, Dr Khalfan bin Said al Shueili, Minister of Housing and Urban Planning, said that there has been an accumulation of housing applications registered in some governorates since 2008 due to the non-availability of suitable lands in those governorates.
“As part of its efforts to achieve the main objective of granting lands to those who deserve it, the ministry continues to make necessary plans to accommodate the largest possible amount of these requests. The plan for 2021 includes the distribution of 23,066 plots of land in the various governorates”, he said.
Significantly, a substantial amount in the state budget is allocated to provide the citizens with the necessary funding that would enable them to find places of their residence.
Hence, the housing policy reflects the importance of this sector. The country has made every effort to provide the necessary land for the housing of citizens. Simultaneously the government also builds housing units for low-income residents, and provides housing assistance and housing loans.
The housing plan for 2021 is in line with the national priorities of Vision 2040 and based on the National Urban Development Strategy — performance indicators, initiatives and ambitious projects.
The Sultanate of Oman has reached a new stage in housing services, namely with the project “Integrated Residential Neighbourhoods”, which supports existing housing policies in the country, such as the search for suitable alternatives to provide adequate housing for citizens eligible for residential land allocations.
Described as ‘Al Souroh’, this national initiative was conceived as part of the government’s vision to provide quality homes to the citizens at an affordable price. The projects under Al Surouh will be integrated communities with infrastructure and community service facilities including mosque, commercial complexes, health centres, public parks, outdoor sports facilities etc.
And the projects are considered a first-of-its-kind as it is based on Public Private Partnership (PPP) model, and are being assigned to a real estate company for development according to the best standards.
The projects aim at promoting the ownership of homes by developing quality housing in integrated neighbourhoods at reasonable prices, providing new alternatives to reduce the volume of applications of citizens entitled to residential lands under the Land Law and its annexes, and stimulating the economy through the involvement of the private sector.
Towards the end of October this year, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning rolled out the process for local and international real estate developers to compete for five new integrated residential complexes.
According to the ministry’s announcement, the planned complexes are expected to offer up to 4,800 housing units to Omanis eligible to receive residential land. And will be able to accommodate 24,000 people.
A total of five new projects with a total area of 1.9 million sq metres will be developed in the governorates of Muscat, Al Dakhiliyah, and Al Batinah South.
Priority in the project, which will have all the requirements and modern lifestyle at a very attractive price, will be given to those who are “to residents of areas close” to these complexes. They will be surrounded by an integrated system of infrastructure services as well as social and services facilities available for citizens.
In the first quarter of this year, Dr Khalfan bin Said al Shueili, Minister of Housing and Urban Planning, said that there has been an accumulation of housing applications registered in some governorates since 2008 due to the non-availability of suitable lands in those governorates.
“As part of its efforts to achieve the main objective of granting lands to those who deserve it, the ministry continues to make necessary plans to accommodate the largest possible amount of these requests. The plan for 2021 includes the distribution of 23,066 plots of land in the various governorates”, he said.