Dubai has approved a plan to transform 48 urban centres, which is expected to boost property values in the areas by Dh20 billion ($5.45 billion) by 2040.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, chaired a meeting of the Executive Council of Dubai on Tuesday, which approved three policies.
The council approved the Urban Centres Development Plan to build integrated communities.
It also approved the Sustainable Population Planning Policy to align economic and population growth and guide service development in line with the emirate’s future needs.
Sheikh Hamdan said the plans reflect the vision of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, balancing economic growth with population expansion while ensuring development translates into wellbeing for citizens and residents.
With a budget exceeding Dh2 billion, the Urban Centres Development Plan covers six main urban centres and 42 supporting sub-centres, representing 12 per cent of Dubai's urban area. It is projected to increase real estate values in targeted areas by Dh20 billion by 2040.
"This plan is an investment in Dubai's future and the sustainability of its growth, strengthening its leadership across different domains and its position as a city that places people's wellbeing at the heart of development," Sheikh Hamdan said.
The plan aims to raise the proportion of residents living near metro stations from 52 per cent to 74 per cent, and improve public services coverage from 74 per cent to 85 per cent.
It focuses on three pillars: quality of life, economic returns, and infrastructure efficiency and cost, by concentrating population and jobs around mass transit stations, diversifying land use, and bringing homes closer to workplaces.
The council also approved the Sustainable Population Planning Policy, an integrated framework linking demographic forecasts with economic and urban development strategies.
"Our goal is for Dubai's economic growth to keep pace with the aspirations of its citizens and residents, expand opportunities for individuals and families, and reinforce the emirate's leadership in attracting and investing in talent and skills," Sheikh Hamdan said.
The policy also supports job growth in high-productivity sectors, aligned with the targets of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33. It will help attract talent and skills, raise average income for individuals and families, strengthen their purchasing power, and reinforce Dubai's economic competitiveness.
Digital authorisation for transactions
The council also approved the Digital Authorisation System to streamline government transactions for individuals and companies.
Developed and operated by Digital Dubai, the platform allows customers to authorise others to complete low-risk transactions on their behalf digitally, without requiring notarial or legal attestation.
The system aims to deliver a fully digital experience, achieve 100 per cent effectiveness in combating fraud, disputes, and operational risks, and achieve a 90 per cent Customer Effort Index score.
The system also provides a secure, trusted, real-time, paperless mechanism to create, manage, and activate authorisations.
It uses the UAE PASS digital identity for verification and integrates with digital applications and services to provide a unified experience across all service channels.