Sheikh Mohammed approves plans to increase Dubai beaches’ area by 400%

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai approved the ‘Dubai Master Plan for Public Beaches’ that aims to increase the total length of public beaches in the emirate by 400%.

The plan, which forms part of the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, features the opening of new beaches and the development of existing ones with advanced facilities.

Sheikh Mohammed said Dubai is committed to ensuring the highest standards of excellence in urban development.

The emirate places the utmost priority on improving the quality of life and ensuring the happiness of citizens, residents and visitors, he added.

He further said, "The ‘Dubai Master Plan for Public Beaches’ will increase the length of public beaches by 400% by 2040. Their total length will increase from 21 km to 105 km. Services offered on public beaches will increase by 300% by 2025.”

“We launched the first urban plan in Dubai in 1960. Development is a non-stop journey in Dubai. Dubai will continue to provide the best living standards for both individuals and families,” Sheikh Mohammed added.

The approval came in the presence of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai; Sheikh Ahmed Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai; Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group; heikh Mansoor Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, and a number of senior officials.

Under the ‘Dubai Master Plan for Public Beaches’, the total length of Dubai’s public beaches will increase from 21 km to 105 km by 2040. Public beaches spanning 84 km will be added to cater to the growth in the emirate’s population and the influx of tourists from all over the world.

The new Master Plan demonstrates Dubai’s commitment to providing unique experiences for beachgoers in line with the goal of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 to consolidate the emirate’s status as one of the top three cities for tourism.

Sheikh Mohammed approved the ‘Dubai Master Plan for Public Beaches’ during a visit to Jebel Ali Public Beach where he was received by Mattar Al Tayer, Commissioner General for Infrastructure, Urban Planning and Wellbeing Pillar.

Sheikh Mohammed reviewed the layout and implementation phases of the Master Plan, the short and long-term initiatives to be undertaken in each phase as well as the facilities, services and features to be added to each beach.

Jebel Ali Public Beach

Sheikh Mohammed was briefed on Phase I of the Master Plan spanning 54 km of public beaches, which includes the development of the Jebel Ali Public Beach in collaboration with Nakheel.

The beach will be developed into an exceptional eco-tourism attraction featuring diverse activities. Mangrove trees will be planted in parts of the beach to boost protection from erosion and preserve marine animal habitats. The beach will have a variety of public services and amenities.

The public beach will also have cycling and pedestrian tracks, aqua sports facilities, rest and recreation amenities, restaurants and food carts, shops and investment outlets as well as family spaces, beach camping and parking areas.

A direct public bus route will be launched to link Jebel Ali Metro Station to the new Jebel Ali Public Beach offering direct access for beachgoers.

The public will be able to visit turtle enclosures created at the beach in accordance with global standards for their protection.

The enclosure will support nationwide efforts to save and rehabilitate turtle species and return them to their natural habitat, as part of the broader goal of preserving the country’s marine environment.

Al Mamzar Public Beach

The ‘Dubai Master Plan for Public Beaches’ also includes the further development of the Al Mamzar Public Beach (Creek and Corniche).

The development project, which will commence in June this year, is set to be completed by the end of this year.

The project will feature new public facilities, pedestrian and cycling tracks and the planting of mangrove trees along the Corniche section of the beach.

Key Targets

As part of the new Plan, a 4,000-metre cycling track will be added to the Al Mamzar public beaches and 9% of its public beaches will be designated for night swimming in 2023.

In 2024, the number of services at the beach will double and an additional 3% of public beaches will be designated for night swimming while in 2025, the beach services will increase three-fold and the length of cycling tracks will rise by 20%.

Short and Long-Term Initiatives

An array of short and long-term initiatives will seek to boost investment in commercial facilities at the beach. In the short term, retail kiosks will be constructed on Jumeirah Beach 2 and Umm Suqeim 1 and the beach will see new water sports facilities and the installation of smart safe lockers. Long-term initiatives include a study to explore the offering of new commercial investment opportunities through the introduction of retail outlets, restaurants, and marine sports activities as well as the development of Jebel Ali Public Beach to provide camping facilities.

Services for People of Determination

The ‘Dubai Master Plan for Public Beaches’ prioritises the needs of people of determination and seeks to ensure that they will have smooth accessibility to the beach and swimming facilities. Services and amenities tailored for their convenience will be introduced in all public beaches, from Al Mamzar to Umm Suqeim.

The Plan will also cater to people of determination with hearing and visual impairments by integrating their specific requirements into the designs of beach development projects in line with the Dubai Universal Code of Design that is based on international best practices.

A total of 10 entrances and routes have already been provided to streamline access for People of Determination to the sea at Jumeirah Public Beach 1 and 2, Umm Suqeim Public Beach 1 and 2, Al Mamzar Public Beach and Al Mamzar Corniche while 28 parking spaces have been designated for People of Determination along with associated public facilities, wheelchairs on the beach, and public chairs for use in swimming in the sea.

Experienced lifeguards have been deployed on all beaches to serve people of determination.

Jumeirah Public Beach 2 recently saw the introduction of a 73-metre marine platform.

The first facility of its kind in the UAE, the platform features three lanes designed to ease accessibility for people of determination to the sea.

Conforming to the highest safety standards, the facility seeks to enhance the beach experience of People of Determination. The feedback of People of Determination will be taken into consideration before introducing the facility in other beaches.

Globally accredited beaches

Dubai has a total of eight public beaches which feature swimming areas, sandy areas and running tracks.

These include public beaches in Khor Al Mamzar, Al Mamzar Corniche, Jumeirah 1, Jumeirah 2, Jumeirah 3, Umm Suqeim 1, Umm Suqeim 2, and Jebel Ali Public Beach.

All these public beaches have received the international Blue Flag certification for five consecutive years, which confirms that they maintain compliance with global standards for seawater quality, environmental education, environmental management, public safety, and services.