Khazaen Economic City (KEC), master developer of the new 52-million-sq-m integrated economic city in the Barka area of Oman, has unveiled the detailed masterplan for Phase One of the project.

Located to the north of the capital, Muscat, Khazaen is the country’s largest public-private partnership project and is already attracting investors through its combination of unhindered, deep-water access to international maritime routes; preferential market entry under free trade agreements with the GCC, Singapore and the US; as well as the city’s proximity to the Middle East, Indian, Asian and African markets.

The city’s masterplan was developed by Atkins, a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group, the lead consultant for Khazaen’s planning and design work.

CEO Khalid Awadh Al Balushi highlighted the support of the Asyad Group and welcomed the rapid approval of the masterplan for the first phase – which marks the beginning of the next stage.

“With the plan approved for the first phase of the city, KEC can continue to attract local and foreign investment to the new, state-of-the-art facilities and units across the development,” said Al Balushi.

The first phase of the city will include one-of-a-kind facilities such as the first dry port in Oman, a free zone, logistics and industrial complexes as well as social infrastructure, residential, commercial and entertainment components, he added.