30% jump in new buildings expected in traditional Saudi neighbourhoods
Buildings in Saudi Arabia increase by 300% in the last decade
The number of new buildings in the Kingdom’s traditional neighbourhoods is expected to increase by around 30% following a recent decision in the country that allows a building to reach the maximum level of six stories instead of the current three.
Investors are now looking to demolish old buildings and replace them with additional housing units. As per a report by local daily Arab News, a source at the Ministry for Municipal and Rural Affairs said buildings have increased by 300% in the last decade. “The number of permits has risen from 37,585 to 112,362 in the past 10 years or so,” the source said.
Residents from major Saudi city Jubail had called for the private sector to upgrade and improve the city’s infrastructure after it was severely hit by floods earlier this year.
The replacement boom being undertaken in traditional areas of the country is a cause of concern for experts, who believe the infrastructure in these developments, built two-three decades ago, may not be equipped to handle larger developments, said the report.
