Bahrain’s Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning has signed an agreement with China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) for the third phase of the East Sitra housing project.

The agreement was signed during a meeting co-chaired by Amna bint Ahmed Al Rumaihi, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, and Wang Bo, the Director of the Board of Directors of CMEC.

Under the agreement, CMEC will construct 1,269 new housing units as well as secondary infrastructure. Work is set to commence in Q1 2025 and is expected to cost $315.7 million (BD119 million). The East Sitra development project was initiated in 2020, which will see 3,000 houses build in three phases and is part of a broader plan to build 40,000 housing units within the kingdom.

CMEC was also awarded the preceding phases. The first phase is complete and saw handover of its 1,077 units earlier this year. The second phase — which included building 531 houses — was awarded three months ago.

The Sitra Housing Project stands as a model of integrated urban development, seamlessly blending residential units with expansive green spaces, advanced road networks, waterfronts, cycling and pedestrian paths, and a comprehensive array of service, educational, health, and commercial facilities- all designed to elevate the standard of living.

The third phase of the Sitra Housing Project will span 670,000 square metres and feature a 23.6 kilo metres main and secondary road network, 22.8 km sewage network, 27.6 km rainwater drainage network, and an integrated lighting system with 753 lampposts.

This phase will include 36 electricity substations, 6 telecom towers, and various service facilities like a shopping mall, 5 commercial centres, 3 schools, a cultural centre, an auditorium, and a child development centre. Additionally, the project includes an afforestation plan with a central park, 6 gardens, children’s play areas, and 52.3 km of green spaces with 1,644 trees.