BAWABAT Makkah Co., an investment arm of the Makkah municipality, launches Saturday its first project – a major residential development covering an area of 1.5 million square meters, Al Watan daily reports, citing an official. The project, named Sumou Suburb, is part of the Bawabat Makkah development that covers an area of 85 million square meters in the western suburb of the Saudi holy city and that will be developed over 15 years to house 600,000 residents, the paper said. A company has been formed to develop the Sumou Suburb project that will involve the construction of residential units including villas, the daily reports quoting Osama Al Bar, mayor of Makkah and chairman of Al Balad Al Ameen Co. - the urban development arm of Makkah municipality. The Sumou Suburb Co. is 25 percent owned by Al Balad Al Ameen and 75 percent by the local Sumou Real Estate Co., he told Al Watan. Essam Kalthoum, chief executive of Bawabat Makkah Co. told the newspaper that the final phase of the Sumou Suburb project will be completed within five years.Along with the residential units, the Bawabat Makkah development will include a university, medical centers, a national park, and an entertainment and education complex, in addition to cultural facilities, heritage centers and museums, the paper said.
