19 March, 2007

Beach update - it couldn't be worse.

I wrote on my blog yesterday about the mysterious construction fence which was being built along Jumeirah Beach (which Samuraisam kindly linked to this blog - below).







My worst fears about it have been confirmed.

Just read what the press release in the papers today says:

Zabeel Investments has begun work on a new 4.5 million square foot coastal development on Jumeirah Beach in Umm Suqueim.

"The unique mixed-use development will comprise residential, commercial and hospitality facilities reflecting a beachfront lifestyle."

We have appointed a renowned master planner and architect who is putting together final touches to plans that will be one of the best that Dubai has seen."

The development will add to the existing beachside environment, which is synonymous with new developments in the UAE.

"The new project will further extend Dubai's coastline and provide additional opportunities for the beachfront lifestyle."


So there we have it. The standard press release phrases, and as usual not quite telling it like it is. This is not 'adding to the existing beachside environment' but taking it away.


Development gone mad. Taking away one of Dubai's major tourism assets, depriving residents of one of our major relaxation areas.


The press release is in Gulf News here.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Curious - are they taking up the entire beach side, or just a portion of it??

I hope it is not the entire beach - that'd be crazy and shooting at the heart of Dubai's tourism.

Sex and Dubai said...

:( not cool, considering the construction is only starting when the weather is just ideal for the beach.

EyeOnDubai said...

Does seem particularly crass, and Gulf News should be puce with embarassment. Printing such guff without flinching....

Very, very sad, and a big mistake by the powers that be. An open, natural beach should be part of the defining character of this city, a thing of pride to be zealously protected for all to enjoy, not handed to some faceless developer to rape and profit. Zabeel Investements? Oh, that'll be the government then...

Anonymous said...

speaking of gulf snooze, has any1 seen lately,in the letters pages, how they seem to have (gulf news has wrongly published...)?
hmmmm.

Seabee said...

rosh, according to Emirates Today it's the entire 17 kilometres as far as Port Rashid.

My bet is that they'll retract that statement tomorrow.

From what I saw this morning I think it's about 500 to 600 metres from Umm Suqeim Fishing Port (not Port Rashid!) down to just past Safa Park.

samuraisam said...

fking hell.

Anonymous said...

can't be bothered...... housed too much skin for my liking anyway

Anonymous said...

A friend of mine, His thingy was eaten by a shark or whale! - i cant remember now.


Its good they are fencing these beach, keep them horrible creatures away.

BuJ said...

Yuk!

Dubai Jazz said...

Nice, I am suffocating already....

Para Glider said...

Yes, that's a shame. For the few walkers left in the city, that was one of the places where you could escape the traffic for a while.

Anonymous said...

Sad.."build and they will come" as the construction orgasm makes it as far as the beach....shame.

Stained said...

sad...very sad indeed.
they'll take about 3 years to built....then it will be all private beaches with small place open for public.....brilliant...thats all we need...

فهد المحمود said...

I think the situation is not much different than what happened to (Al Raha Beach) in Abu Dhabi ... We were happy that at last we had a beach, but our happiness did not last for long ... (Al Raha Beach) is just a name and the beach is can barely seen behind constructions ...

Seabee said...

Sorry folks, in my comment earlier I said Al Safa Park - I meant Umm Suqeim Park.

Anonymous said...

I was just at this beach to other day and saw the fence going up and wondered what that was all about. When I saw the press release I was not happy either. This is just the type of beach enviroment that needs to be protected not destroyed. I was really sad to read the articel as well . This is going to hurt tourism not help it. This really devalues the Jamure beach a great deal. I wish the authorities would take note and listen.

Lirun said...

as a surfer i find this sad..

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