Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council (UPC) has announced plans to develop a beachfront community for Emirati families that will boast 410 villas along with other retail and recreational facilities at Al Gharbia in the western region of the emirate.

The Mirfa Beach masterplan, which includes all of the infrastructure and community facilities, will be constructed by Abu Dhabi General Services Company (Musanada), the official project developer for the community, in co-ordination with the Abu Dhabi Housing Authority (ADHA).

The masterplan was handed over by the UPC to Musanada for detailed masterplanning, building design and construction, said a senior official.

On project completion, the residential neighbourhood in Mirfa Beach, which lies on a stretch of coastline 160 km west of Abu Dhabi, will be a complete sustainable community offering a wide range of amenities including parks, shops, mosques and a public corniche.

The UPC said the project is being developed in line with the key principles of Plan Al Gharbia 2030, the strategic framework plan that outlines the physical development of the 35,000-sq-km region, remarked Abdulla Al Sahi, the acting executive director (planning and infrastructure sector) at UPC.

The community facilities planned include mosques, a range of recreational parks and public spaces and five retail plots which will offer shops, cafes and restaurants, with two of these likely to be located by the beachfront, he stated.

These will be linked by a high-quality public realm that incorporates a network of pedestrian-friendly paths and streets, along with integrated transportation options.