Located north of the Haram mosque, the Al-Shamiyah development will cover an area of about 7.4 square kilometres. The Mecca Development Authority (MDA) aims to create housing for about 250,000 people. Valued at about $9,300 million, the project will include hotels, residential apartments, commercial centres, markets and car parking for about 10,500 vehicles.

The project underwent a redesign after the MDA decided to push Al-Shamiyah's boundaries away from the Haram mosque. AUDC will develop the area's entire infrastructure, although portions of the development will then be sold off to private investors. The entire scheme is due to be finished within 10 years. Lebanon's Millennium is carrying out the masterplan. Other projects under development in Mecca include: the estimated SR 10,000 million ($2,100 million) Jabal Omar development, for which a team of the local Rio Trading & Contracting and Turkey's STFA is working on the ground levelling and earthworks package; the estimated $1,600 million Jabal Khandama development, for which an award on the urban masterplan contract is imminent; and the mixed-use Jabal al-Kaaba development (MEED 21:4:06).

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