A country of striking natural beauty is building a whopping £4 billion’s worth of new cities, and none of them will have skyscrapers. Huge skyscrapers are usually a staple of mega-cities, giving urban hubs their grandeur.
However, Oman is not following the trend, as the country has developed a forward-thinking initiative designed to reshape the Sultanate’s economy and society, with a strong emphasis on urban development. Unlike the towering skyscrapers of Dubai, Muscat is known for its low-rise architecture and rich history. Oman is a high-income country that generates 84% of its revenue from dwindling oil resources. Oman Vision 2040 has a strong emphasis on urban development and is looking to create a smart city in the future.
The vision includes the development of new cities like Sultan Haitham City and New City Salalah which will aim to diversify the economy, attract investment, and improve the quality of life for residents.
Sultan Haitham City is the first project within a larger program that Oman’s Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning. The new city will eventually accommodate 100,000 residents.
Poised to become the most desired residential community in outskirts of Muscat, the construction of this city is the country’s current megaproject. The aim is to create a futuristic, modern and sustainable city in four phases, with the first phase due for completion in 2030. It will consist of 1,480 hectares of undeveloped land in Al Seeb, a suburb of greater Muscat.
Oman has one of the highest homeownership rates in the world, with 89% of citizens owning their homes. However, many residents live in low-density areas, and government-issued land grants often take years to be allocated.
Sultan Haitham City aims to promote compact, well-planned neighbourhoods while preserving Omanis’ preference for private villas.
During the last half of the century the country has relied on oil, however, its new vision aims to attract national business and massive infrastructure projects to make Oman a regional transportation hub.
The country is also rebuilding its entire school programmes to focus on creativity, problem solving and modern technology. Oman is also set to restructure its government and support resource management.
