Riyadh to build housing for construction workers
High Commission for Riyadh Development approves plan for housing complexes for foreign workers
RELATED ARTICLES: RDHC approves Riyadh development plans | $800bn price tag for Riyadh Metro land | BACS consortium awarded $10bn Riyadh Metro contract The High Commission for Riyadh Development (HCRD) has approved the construction of residential complexes for foreign workers on the outskirts of Riyadh to provide suitable housing facilities for bachelors working in the capital, it has been announced. Based in four locations, the residential complexes will house workers in unskilled, technical and supervisory positions. Additionally, there will also be housing projects for administrators and engineers. Arab News added the HCRD has developed construction guidelines to create residential complexes in coordination with the Secretariat of the Riyadh region, after conducting a special study on the issue. The study included a thorough assessment of the current housing plan for workers in Riyadh, the regulations currently being implemented and lessons that can be learned from other countries in the field of worker accommodation projects. The guidelines will outline comfort and safety standards, besides ensuring service and healthcare facilities in order to boost productivity and address the imbalance for private housing and improving the investment climate, security and social stability in the capital. According to the guidelines, the land area devoted to the project must be a minimum of 80,000 square meters and should not be located in valleys or flood-prone areas. It also should not be located in heritage areas or in places of environmental importance, such as agricultural and tourist spots. The project should include streets, open arenas, stadiums and parking places. Buildings should have a maximum of four floors and walls surrounding the complex should not exceed four meters, in addition to a minimum allocation of 10 square meters per worker. According to data released by HCDR, about 2.2 million Riyadh residents are non-Saudi, which includes about 616,000 unmarried male workers, 120,000 of whom live in the Second Industrial City. Another 33,000 workers live in the areas with warehouses and workshops, while the majority are concentrated at the center of Riyadh and other parts of the city, concluded the report.
