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Airport planned on outskirts of Ajman

AJMAN — Plans are afoot to build a cargo airport in Al Manama located on the outskirts of Ajman, Shaikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the Ajman Department of Municipality and Planning (ADMP), said yesterday.

Speaking to Khaleej Times on the sidelines of the Ajman Urban Planning Conference and Exhibition, which was inaugurated by His Highness Shaikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Ajman, yesterday, Shaikh Rashid said, “We have studied the plan of building an airport in Ajman, but have learnt that there’s a number of disadvantages of building an airport within the emirate because of the size of the emirate which is smaller compared to other emirates.”

The two-day conference, organised by ADMP, is discussing various facets of urban growth in the UAE.

Shaikh Humaid said high-rise buildings in a dynamic urban scenario would set the benchmark in urban planning in the region where a construction boom is on for sustainable urbanisation. He added that the event is one of its kind in the region and will provide a roadmap and guidelines for urban planners.

The conference aims to suggest the best ways of developing a sustainable model of growth, said Abdullah Al Hamrani, Director General of ADMP.

Well-known architect Massimiliano Fuksas delivered the opening keynote address. Citing his prestigious vertical high-rise projects like Phare La, Paris, Gazprom City, St Petersburg, Russia, Tower Harbour of the Margonara, Savona, Italy, he explained how such endeavours are conceptualised.

Specialists like Dr Habib M Alshuwaikhat, Associate Professor of Sustainable Urban Planning and Development at Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd University, put forth guidelines on urban planning. The top priority for urban planning is to develop a strategy that will result in self-sufficient urban high-rise communities, providing the city with better environments, more pleasant architecture and a stronger dynamic urban character, he said.

Commenting on how the conference will benefit the emirate in terms of infrastructure development, Shaikh Rashid said, “The conference aims to display our vision to investors and specialists. We will also learn from their experience in order to ensure quality services in the emirate.”

• UAE