Abu Dhabi General Services (Musanada) has awarded UK consultant Atkins a contract to design the infrastructure for a new $2bn Emirati community in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Known as North Wathba Urban Development, the scheme will eventually house 130,000 people.

Atkins’ role will involve the design and preparation of tender documentation for the enabling works and permanent infrastructure, including primary and local roads, streetscape, public realm landscaping and amenities. In addition, the company will design and prepare documentation for all the utility transmission and distribution networks comprising drainage, sewerage, potable water, power, gas, district cooling and telecommunications.

The project is located north of Baniyas and south of Shamkhah on the Abu Dhabi mainland.

The masterplan was completed by Abu Dhabi’s Urban Planning Council (UPC) and includes housing, civic, institutional and commercial buildings, as well as parks and open spaces.

Musanada awarded two housing construction contracts in July for building villas a the Al-Ghayathi housing project in the Western Region. The local National Transport & Construction won an estimated AED500m ($136m) order for 353 residential units, and the local Dhabi Contracting won an estimated AED625m contract for 433 villas.