Local developer Emaar Properties is planning to build a retail centre at its Dubai Creek Harbour development that could be larger than Dubai Mall.

According to a source close to the project, the retail centre, which is still at the concept design stage, could be more than twice the size of Dubai Mall. Another source involved with the scheme said that although the retail centre will be large in scale, it will not duplicate Dubai Mall. “Emaar does not want to take business away from Dubai Mall. It wants a different concept,” the source said.

Speaking at the launch of the tall tower designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava Valls that will be built at Dubai Creek Harbour on 10 April, Emaar Properties chairman Mohamed Alabbar confirmed a major new scheme was planned. “A mega retail district is being designed at the moment and it will be linked to the [Calatrava] tower,” he said.

The Calatrava tower will be the centre piece of Emaar Properties’ Dubai Creek Harbour development, and will be taller than the 828-metre tall Burj Khalifa. 

“It will be a notch taller than Burj Khalifa,” said Alabbar, adding that the building will cost about $1bn to construct and will be completed in time for Expo 2020.

Progress is being made on other elements of the Dubai Creek Harbour scheme. Earlier this year, Emaar awarded the local Al-Basti & Muktha (ABM) a contract to build its Dubai Creek Residences development.

It has also appointed UK-based Faithful+Gould as the programme manager for the Dubai Creek Harbour development.