Aldar launches new luxury Dubai project featuring wildlife and bee-keeping zones

Abu Dhabi developer Aldar Properties has launched a project in Dubai featuring what it claims will be the "largest and most diverse collection of wildlife within a residential community in the emirate”, amid surging property demand.

The Wilds, Aldar's third development in Dubai, is part of a joint venture with state-owned Dubai Holding and will feature about 1,700 homes, including five-and six-bedroom units designed by Lebanese architect Nabil Gholam, the company said.

The project will also offer three to five-bedroom villas and one to three-bedroom apartments Prices will start at Dh5.1 million ($1.39 million), Aldar confirmed to The National.

The project is expected to be delivered in 2029, with work expected to begin as soon as contracts are awarded. Aldar will begin the sale of villas and apartments on February 27.

"A first of its kind in Dubai … [the project] will stand out for its safe integration and retention of a large variety of species, alongside an incredible selection of native plants within a woodland sanctuary,” Aldar said.

Located along Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, opposite Global Village, the project will also feature a pond, lawn, dry stream habitats, duck houses, man-made bird nests and bee-keeping zones. There will be no wild animals, the company confirmed.

The Nest, a community pavilion, will be a gathering space for residents and will feature a "curiosity area” for kids with wildlife observation and environmental learning.

Amenities will include a premium international branded school, a retail hub at the community entrance, clubhouses, a nursery, play areas, splash pads, a clinic, and two mosques. The Wilds will also have fitness zones, meditation spaces, resort-style swimming pools, and walking and cycling trails.

The Wilds comes after Aldar launched its Haven and Athlon developments in Dubai, both in partnership with Dubai Holding, "which saw unprecedented demand with all units sold within hours of release”, it said.

Dubai's property market, which bounced back strongly from the Covid-driven slowdown, has boomed ever since, supported by government initiatives such as residency permits for retired and remote workers, an expanded golden visa programme, as well as robust economic growth in the UAE.

Last year, the emirate recorded real estate deals worth Dh761 billion, up 20 per cent compared to 2023, with the total number of transactions for the year surging by 36 per cent to 226,000, according to the latest data provided by Dubai Media Office.

Aldar Properties, Abu Dhabi’s biggest listed developer, in recent years has expanded beyond its home base to other emirates in the UAE, as well as to foreign markets, including Egypt. The company reported a 43 per cent rise in its 2024 profit, as a sharp increase in UAE sales drove revenue.

Net profit attributable to equity holders of the company for the 12 months to the end of December rose to Dh5.6 billion, with revenue and rental income during the period up by more than 62 per cent annually to Dh23 billion, it said.

Aldar’s full-year sales reached a record high of Dh33.6 billion, up 20 per cent from the previous year. UAE sales hit Dh22.2 billion at the end of last year, accounting for about 78 per cent of total sales, a sharp increase from a 66 per cent contribution in 2023.

The company said it plans to launch a number of projects this year in Abu Dhabi, including Al Fahid Island development, as well as projects in Yas and Saadiyat Islands. It unveiled 12 projects last year.