Dubai's Executive Council, chaired by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, approved a new Urban Centres Development Plan on Tuesday with a budget exceeding Dh2 billion ($544 million).
The plan covers 48 urban centres — six main hubs and 42 supporting sub-centres — spanning 12 per cent of Dubai's built-up area. Its goal is to turn these zones into integrated neighbourhoods with better access to daily services, public transport and shared public spaces.
Officials project that full implementation by 2040 could raise property values across the targeted areas by Dh20 billion. A central benchmark of the plan is transport access: the share of residents living close to metro stations is set to rise from 52 per cent today to 74 per cent, while coverage of public services in these zones will increase from 74 per cent to 85 per cent.
The same Executive Council session also approved two related measures: a Sustainable Population Planning Policy and a Digital Authorisation System, both intended to help manage the pace of Dubai's urban growth.
Sheikh Hamdan described the plan as "an investment in Dubai's future and the sustainability of its growth." City officials frame the initiative as part of the emirate's broader push toward becoming one of the world's most liveable cities, a direction already set out in the long-term Dubai 2040 urban master plan.
For Dubai's property market, the move signals stronger long-term appeal for investors and homebuyers in the designated zones — many of which have so far lagged behind in transport links and public amenities compared with the city's more established districts. Analysts say such targeted infrastructure spending tends to lift nearby real estate values well before projects are completed, as buyers price in future connectivity and services.