The local Al-Jazirah Engineers & Consultants (AJEC) has started work on an estimated SR 17 million ($4.5 million), five-year contract to provide architectural and engineering (A&E) services for facilities development in the Yanbu industrial area.

The client is the Royal Commission for Jubail & Yanbu (RCJ&Y), which plans to invest SR 800 million ($213 million) to build about 30 specialised parks, three schools, a horse racing track, eight mosques, roads and related site works. The facilities will be built in several phases over the coming three years.

Phase 1 work includes the construction of three mosques, the race course and a park with lakes. It also includes the renovation of road signage serving the industrial area. AJEC is due to take a year to complete the detailed design work. The first construction package is due to be tendered in the third quarter of 2006.

RCJ&Y is pursuing plans to build several new facilities at the Yanbu industrial area as part of its efforts to serve as a base for new secondary industries. The local Sofcon is already carrying out a detailed engineering and consultancy contract, which will cover infrastructure, utilities, telecommunications and related development over an area of 400 hectares. The project will be implemented in several phases, with Sofcon due to complete design work for the first major construction package by mid-2006 (MEED 5:8:05).