Signalling the start to the development of the second phase of the US$1 billion Royal Metropolis project in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, King Abdullah II has laid the foundation stone for Royal Village, a landmark gated residential community, only 15 minutes from the centre of Amman.
Royal Village will offer over 1,000 residential units comprising luxury villas, townhouses and apartments, spread across 468,500 square metres in Marj Al-Hammam, bordering the Dead Sea highway. The development also features a shopping mall catering to both the residents of Royal Village and residents of Southern Amman.
Commenting on the Royal Village development, Mr. Esam Janahi, Chief Executive Officer and Board Member of Gulf Finance House (GFH), the Islamic investment bank that has originated and is financing the Royal Metropolis project in Jordan, said:
“The development of Royal Village comes at a time when the economy of Jordan is growing and reinforces the confidence of investors in the Kingdom’s potential. The project aims to meet the demand for quality residential homes in Jordan. Royal Village will provide a superior gated residential community within a self-contained ambience, supported by all modern facilities and amenities.”
Simultaneously, GFH also announced the launch of a new exclusive five-star luxury resort and spa development on the shores of the Dead Sea. Royal Resort & Spa is an integrated project which will combine a world-class hotel, spa and luxury villas.
“The Royal Resort & Spa will complement the uniqueness of the Royal Metropolis project by offering an exclusive retreat to visitors, allowing them to spend quality time in the healing environs of the Dead Sea,” Mr. Janahi said.
Royal Resort & Spa, which will cover an area of 125,000 square metres, will add further value to the investment proposition of Royal Metropolis in Jordan, and contribute to the attractiveness of Jordan as one of the leading tourist destinations in the Middle East. It will comprise a comprehensive array of facilities, including a hotel with 300 Royal rooms, business centre, and top-of-the-line gymnasium, plus restaurants, lounges and beverage outlets, all facing the Dead Sea in a landscaped environment.
The spa component, with six 2 bedroom treatment rooms, will offer therapeutic packages while the residential component will comprise 100 villas in three categories, ranging from super luxury to classic types. “Both Royal Village and Royal Resort & Spa are two salient components of the Royal Metropolis project. The Royal Resort & Spa will blend modern and Arabic architectural motifs in natural surroundings,” Mr. Janahi said.
Royal Village and Royal Resort & Spa will be developed jointly by GFH and Kuwait Finance and Investment Company (KFIC). Envisaged as Amman’s first planned residential city, Royal Village will also house several leisure options including landscaped parks set within a verdant environment.
Over 50 per cent of the Royal Village will consist of villas in three categories totaling 278 residential units, while 20 apartment buildings comprising 850 units, will be located towards the northern, eastern and southern boundaries of the site.
Elaborating on the residential concept of Royal Village, Abdul Rahman Ali Al-Saeed, Vice Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of KFIC, said: “Our aim is to offer an eclectic mix of residential facilities to Jordanians, with the villas at the premium end of the market and the apartments targetted at young Jordanian families looking for starter homes.”
“The focus of Royal Village is to provide exclusive living with privacy and comfort, within a master-planned environment that is unique, and which will set a benchmark in quality residential accommodation,” he said.
Among the villas, the top-end Jebel Luxury Villas will be located on a natural hill in a low density build. In total, there will be 48 units within a gated and secure environment set amidst dedicated amenities. These will comprise a community centre, including a resort-style pool area, health club, children’s recreation zone, a restaurant, and a banquet facility for small functions.
“Approximately 40 per cent of the Jebel Luxury Villas will be positioned as Imperial Villas – opulent eight-bedroom villas with a 743 square metre internal floor area, set on a plot of approximately 1,350 square metres, and complemented by a triple garage. The rest will be branded as Royal Villas, with six bedrooms on an internal floor area of 605 square metres, set on a land area of 1,100 square metres, and with a two-car garage,” Mr. Al Saeed said.
Other categories of villas include 116 five-bedroom Wadi Villas. These are targeted at mid-career, middle-to-upper-income Jordanian families, each on a land plot of 650 square metres, and with a two-car garage. Also on offer are 114 Wadi Attached Villas. Each of these three and four bedroom villas will be on a plot area ranging from 195 to 225 square metres, and are designed for small and growing families, offering a perfect transition from apartment living to an independent home.
Commenting on the construction, Mr Nashat Sahawneh, Chairman, Al Hamad Contracting Company, who are also the Contracting Partner for Jordan Gate, Royal Village and now Royal Resort & Spa, said: “Work on the first phase of the project – Jordan Gate – was progressing on schedule. Excavation work is almost complete, and the project is expected to be completed within 30 months. Jordan Gate is being jointly developed by GFH, KFIC, and the Greater Amman Municipality.”
