A new district containing 11,000 homes, hotels, a hospital and a 700,000m2 public park is planned on a four million sqm site west of Damascus.
UAE property developer Arada has entered the Syrian market through a joint venture with the state-owned Syrian Sovereign Fund. The masterplan will be prepared with Syrian government authorities.
Arada Group chief executive Ahmed Alkhoshaibi and Mohammed Al Khayyat, board member and chief executive officer of the fund’s real estate development sector, signed the agreement at the fund’s headquarters in Damascus. Alkhoshaibi later met Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the People’s Palace.
New Damascus project to include 11,000 homes
The project has an estimated gross development value of AED25.7bn ($7bn). Its site is on a plateau in New Damascus, near the Mezzeh district.
The site is located approximately 10 minutes from central Damascus and 25 minutes from Damascus International Airport.
The 11,000 homes would include apartments, villas, townhouses and branded residences. A further 1,000 serviced apartments and 500 hotel rooms are planned.
The project would also contain a 300-bed hospital, education facilities for 5,000 students, offices, shops and other commercial premises. Recreational areas and government service buildings are among the other planned components.
A 700,000m2 public park would occupy part of the site. Arada said the development model would draw on Aljada and Masaar, its two large communities in the UAE.
The Syrian Arab News Agency said New Damascus would follow the 15-minute city model, with homes, services, healthcare and recreational facilities planned within easy reach of one another.
Separate housing scheme planned for displaced Syrians
Syria’s state news agency also reported that the agreement includes a housing programme called City for a City.
Under the programme, Arada would build separate communities for people living in camps and owners of homes destroyed during the conflict.
The programme builds on an earlier Arada commitment in the country. In 2024, the developer announced that its Home for a Home campaign would fund one house for an internally displaced Syrian family for every home sold at its developments during Ramadan.
Arada said the campaign, organised with The Big Heart Foundation and Human Concern International, would fund the construction of a community near Aleppo. Plans included a school, mosque, clinic, playground and shops.
Al Khayyat said the fund’s mandate was to attract international investment intended to produce long-term benefits for Syria. Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal, executive vice chairman of Arada, said the company aimed to create jobs, develop local skills and support Syrian businesses.
Syria is Arada’s fourth market after the UAE, the UK and Australia. The company reports a project pipeline valued at $42bn and a portfolio of more than 66,000 homes across the four countries.
