Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) has awarded the local/Australian Habtoor Leighton Group the AED500m ($136m) contract to build its Gate Avenue development.

Located in the DIFC district, the 61,000-square-metre 880-metre long retail centre will connect existing buildings at DIFC, as well as future developments. There will be 150 retail outlets in the centre, which was previously known as the Retail Spine.

Completion is expected by the end of 2017.

Contractors submitted bids for the contract in August.

DIFC appointed the local Alec as the contractor for a preparatory works contract over the summer.

The consultant for the Gate Avenue development is the UK’s RMJM. The project manager is US-based Turner Construction International.

DIFC awarded the local Khansaheb Civil Engineering an estimated AED140m contract to build the Gate Village 11 building earlier this year.