Dubai-based developer Emaar has launched a new mixed-use development in Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan.

The 541,000 square metre development, called ‘Downtown Erbil’, will feature twin towers, residential homes, three five-star hotels, office space, and the city’s largest shopping mall and restaurants.

The residential communities are envisaged as pedestrian-friendly districts, with a mix of high-rise and low-rise apartments. An integrated transit facility is being planned through a network of paved streets and bylanes.

“Iraq is one of the fastest growing emerging markets in the region, with rich natural resources and a large youth population,” says Mohamed Alabbar, Chairman of Emaar properties. “We are creating a new lifestyle dynamic in the country through Downtown Erbil that will serve as a benchmark for all future urban developments in the country.

“The economic impact of Downtown Erbil for the city and the country will be tremendous, by driving the growth of the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors, creating thousands of new jobs for the local people, and serving as a strong magnet for further inward foreign investments.”