District One - Dubai’s “sparkling” new development in Mohammed Bin Rashid City - is being built just a couple of kilometres from Burj Khalifa. The project will host the closest freehold villas to the heart of the emirate but its location comes at a hefty premium.
At today’s prices, waterfront properties are selling at Dh2,700 per sq ft and others at Dh2,500. With the smallest property a four-bedroom 6,200 sq ft villa, the least expensive option will cost around Dh16 million. But, for that price, you also get your very own exclusive lagoon.
Because the reason this development must be labelled as “sparkling” is because of the crystal lagoon set at its heart. And because it is Dubai, it’s only natural this will be the largest man-made lagoon in the world.
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• Take a look inside the District One development here
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The 350,000 square metre expanse of water, will have a maximum depth of 2.5 metres allowing residents to enjoy non-motorised water sports and swimming at their leisure. Surrounding this aquatic masterpiece will be 14km of beaches and boardwalks.
A portion of the lagoon is already complete, with a beach in place, to give prospective buyers an idea of what it may look like. And, as mentioned before, it literally sparkles. Picture the aqua marine of the Caribbean, with a lapis lazuli hue of the Adriatic and you will be close.
Environmentally minded investors will be pleased to know the lagoon uses just 1 per cent of the chemicals most swimming pools do.
And for the property itself, buyers can take a pick and mix approach with three design styles of villa on offer - Modern Arabic, Mediterranean and Contemporary - ranging from four to eight bedrooms.
Buyers purchase the plot first, then choose what style of villa they want - ensuring the project will not resemble other mass estates around the emirate.
The development is situated on 12,000 acres of land with 60 per cent given over to green space and an 8.8km cycle track around its perimeter.
According to the developer, Sobha Group, 261 villas of phase 1 have already been sold, set for delivery in the second quarter of 2016. A further 511 properties of the 631 villa phase 2 are sold with delivery scheduled for Q3 2017. Sobha is yet to confirm when its final plots in phases 3 and 4, will be constructed.
Q&A
PNC Menon, founder and chairman of Sobha Group, tells Andrew Scott more details about District One:
Is this a case of location, location, location?
You can only sell this location once, it cannot be repeated, there is only one Burj Khalifa and one location so close to it. Our villas are luxury and super luxury. Every bedroom is ensuite regardless of the style of villa; every master bedroom has a walk-in wardrobe and there are walk in closets in most other bedrooms as well.
What other selling points are there?
Every villa has its own swimming pool, its own maid’s room and an external driver’s room. The technology for the crystal lagoon we are building is imported from Chile and will rival the beauty of the Gulf itself. It is for the exclusive use of the District One owners and their guests.
I can see maintenance charges being fairly significant?
They may be significant to you but they will not be significant to our villa’s owners. The maintenance will be in line with the amenities we have on offer and similar to other super luxury developments in the city.
Any other plans for the district?
District One will be generating revenues of US$10 billion for our group. We will have a hotel and retail coming but we have not signed with any operators or retailers as yet. We will be developing our own mall and there will be other appropriate attractions in line with a low density development.
ascott@thenational.ae
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