Emaar’s AED 200bn Dubai Masterplan Targets 150,000 Residents

Emaar Properties has announced an AED 200 billion masterplan to create a self-sustaining urban district in Dubai, designed to accommodate nearly 150,000 residents.

The scale is significant: more than 4.5 million square metres of gross floor area, combining residential towers, villas, commercial offices, retail spaces, hotels and cultural amenities. Emaar is positioning the district as a new model for urban living, with homes, daily services and public spaces planned as one connected environment.

The masterplan is built around the ‘20-minute city’ principle. That means residents should be able to reach essential services such as schools, healthcare and retail within a short walk or cycle from their homes. For a city that continues to grow vertically and outward, that planning detail matters.

“This development reflects our deep confidence in the future of the UAE and our belief in the visionary leadership that continues to create an environment where ambition, innovation, and bold ideas can thrive.”

Those words from Mohamed Alabbar, Founder of Emaar Properties, frame the business intent behind the project. Emaar is not simply adding another residential address to Dubai’s map. It is planning a district that brings together housing, work, hospitality, retail, culture, parks and digital infrastructure at major scale.

Five zones, one city model

The district will be divided into five character zones, each designed for a different type of resident and daily rhythm. Emaar has named them as:

• Business Hub
• Urban District
• Young Families Cluster
• Family Living Zone
• Exclusive Villa Enclave

The mix points to a broad residential base rather than a single-market project. Residential towers will sit alongside villas, while offices, hotels and retail spaces will support daily activity across the district. Cultural amenities are also part of the plan, adding a civic layer to the development rather than leaving it as a purely residential proposition.

Residential towers are planned to offer views of Dubai landmarks including Burj Khalifa, Burj Al Arab and Palm Jumeirah. That visual connection to the city’s best-known skyline markers gives the project a clear Dubai identity, while the district itself is being designed around more local, walkable routines.

Smart systems and greener public spaces

Emaar says the district will integrate advanced smart mobility solutions, intelligent building systems and comprehensive digital connectivity. The sustainability focus will also include smart building systems and data-driven public services, with technology used to support how residents move, live and access services.

Mobility is a key part of the plan. Proposed metro connectivity and EV-friendly pathways are planned to support movement within the district and beyond it. The combination of cycling, walking, electric vehicle access and planned public transport links reflects the 20-minute city framework at the centre of the project.

Green space is another major component. The masterplan includes landscaped parks, swimming lakes, gardens and waterways, designed to encourage outdoor living and community engagement. In practical terms, that gives the district more than a built environment; it creates places for residents to gather, move and spend time outside their homes.

Timeline still to come

Emaar has announced the masterplan as it prepares for an official unveiling, but specific construction and completion timelines have not yet been disclosed. That leaves the next phase of detail focused on sequencing, delivery and how the five zones will come to market.

What is clear now is the size of the commitment: AED 200 billion, nearly 150,000 residents and a district planned around daily access rather than long commutes. The next milestone will show how Emaar turns the masterplan from a city-scale concept into Dubai’s next major urban address.