Meraas, a subsidiary of Dubai Holding Real Estate, has awarded United Engineering Construction (UNEC) a contract valued at AED 1.9 billion to build The Acres, a new standalone villa community in Dubailand. The agreement covers the development’s first phase, which includes 642 villas and related community facilities, with completion scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2027.

The project features three-, four- and five-bedroom villas ranging from 3,048 to 6,001 square feet. Each home includes a private garden linked by landscaped pathways to Halo Loop Park, the community’s central green space, and to a planned network of swimmable lagoons.

Khalid Al Malik, chief executive of Dubai Holding Real Estate, said the development reflects Meraas’ broader effort to align design and sustainability with Dubai’s long-term urban goals under the Dubai 2040 Master Plan. Abdul Halim Muwahid, chairman of UNEC, described the contract as an opportunity to apply international construction standards to a project intended to meet high environmental and quality benchmarks.

The Acres is planned around extensive open space and social infrastructure, with sustainability measures designed to reduce per-capita greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent compared with the national average and cut water consumption by 33 percent relative to typical UAE usage. All irrigation will rely on treated wastewater. The project has received LEED Gold® Pre-certification for Cities & Communities.

Community amenities will include a nursery, school, clinic, mosques, clubhouses and a retail area, along with seven gardens connected by Halo Loop Park. Walking and cycling paths, playgrounds, fitness areas, swimming pools and sports facilities are intended to support active living. The site offers access to Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street and Emirates Road, placing residents within minutes of Global Village, the Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club and the Hamdan Sports Complex.

Photo credits: Government of Dubai Media Office

Alexander Agafiev Macambira

Alexander Agafiev Macambira is former tech contributing writer for Forbes Monaco.