UAE-based Sharjah Oasis Real Estate said it has completed Dh3 billion ($816 million) worth of infrastructure development works at Sharjah Waterfront City, the largest mixed-use masterplanned waterfront community in the Northern Emirates.

On completion, the Dh25-billion ($6.8 billion) Sharjah Waterfront City – Ajmal Makan (meaning most beautiful destination on earth in Arabic) will boast 1,500 villas, 95 towers in eight islands, a marina with 800 berths, a water theme park, a large shopping mall besides a commercial cluster and retail arcade, said the Sharjah-based developer.

The landmark announcement comes as Sharjah Oasis Real Estate Company handed over two power transmission and distribution plants, built at a cost of Dh250 million and with its own resources to ensure an uninterrupted supply of up to 700 megawatt (MW) of electricity – enough to power the entire urban waterfront community where more than 60,000 people are expected to live and work when complete.

The power transmission and distribution plants were formally handed over by chairman Sheikh Abdullah Al Shakrah to Dr Rashid Alleem, the chairman of Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority (Sewa).

This is one of the first such developments where the private developer has built its own such large power distribution and transmission plant and handed over the assets to the state-owned public utility, Sewa, said the company. This marks the completion of one of the most important infrastructure milestones – to ensure adequate and uninterrupted power supply to the city’s residents and businesses, it added.

On the project’s progress, Sheikh Abdullah said: “I am pleased to announce the completion of Dh3 billion worth of infrastructure works within Sharjah Waterfront City, including removal of 12 million cu m of sand to dig 3.5 m deep canals with widths spanning 100-300 m and develop eight islands within the landscape that helped us to create 20 km of new coastline and beachfront properties.”

“As part of the infrastructure projects, we have moved and installed 5 million tonnes of rocks to create breakwaters and marina quays and the protection of water channels, in addition to the construction of bridges, roads and power transmission and distribution plants, which cost Dh250 million,” he added.

Describing Sharjah Waterfront City – Ajmal Makan as a precious pearl, Sheikh Abdullah said: “It is a city within a city and features integrated facilities where people can live, work and relax shop, dine and enjoy the best lifestyle. Sharjah Waterfront City stretches over 60 million sq ft of the Gulf’s pristine coastline, making it an ideal destination for residents and tourists.”

“It consists of eight well-designed islands to create a vibrant community of 60,000 people living in 1,500 luxury villas and smart homes, 95 mixed-use towers, and a number of hotels, shopping centres, stylish office complexes, In addition to a marina with a capacity of 800 berths,” stated the top official.

The series of eight islands between the natural channels spread over 36 km of coastal land on the north-east coast of Sharjah, will see clean and pure blue seawater renewed every 12 hours, in line with the high and low natural tide coming from the Arabian Gulf.