Abu Dhabi’s Urban Planning Council has approved the masterplan for Al-Maryah Island, formerly known as Sowwah Island.

The plan, which covers over 3.5 million square metres of mixed-use development with commercial, residential, retail, hospitality and community uses, will become the centre of Abu Dhabi’s new central business district.

The island is located between the Mina Zayed area of Abu Dhabi Island, Saadiyat Island and Al-Reem Island.

The masterplan was prepared by UK architect Broadway Malyan, which has been working on the scheme since 2009 for the project’s developer, government-controlled Mubadala Development Company.

A number of projects are being built on Al-Maryah Island, the most recent of which was awarded to the local Al-Faraa General Contracting Company in April. It won an estimated AED300m ($82m) contract to build the new headquarters for the local Al-Hilal Bank.