ALDAR has reviewed fresh design proposals for the proposed redevelopment of the central market and is now working with the UK's Foster & Partners. 'We wanted to reconsider the original design given the project's high profile and the importance of the site,' ALDAR chief operating officer Ronald Barrott told MEED on 5 June. 'We instigated an internal audit and looked at redesigns, and we are now working with Foster & Partners,' (MEED 14:4:06).

The prequalifiers for the project will remain the same, although a different packaging strategy may be adopted. Tenders for the first package, covering the souk and the basement, were cancelled in April pending the redesign.

The move is not expected to significantly impact on the construction programme as piling work has still to begin. 'The decision will not result in lost time. We are still progressing with the substructure, and may issue the car park as a separate package,' said Barrott.

The use of project management consultants (PMCs) has also been reviewed on ALDAR projects, and will no longer be used to manage infrastructure development on major projects. As a result, US-based Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB) is no longer providing project management services on ALDAR's Raha Beach development. 'Parsons Brinckerhoff has been instructed to demobilise. We had no problems with PB as far as performance is concerned and our decision is a commercial one and does not reflect PB's abilities. After our internal restructuring we felt that project management was surplus to the needs of the group. We will still use PMCs when needed to manage individual building packages,' said Barrott.

Tendering is progressing at Raha Beach, and ALDAR has recently invited companies to bid by 28 June for a third marine works package on the multi-billion dollar development. The package covers precincts D, E, F and G and involves land formation works, construction of sea walls, dredging and excavation. The prequalifiers for the package include: Geneva-registered Archirodon Construction (Overseas); Denmark's MT Hojgaard; Murray & Roberts Contractors (Middle East), with the local Target Engineering Contracting Company; the local NSCC; the local Overseas AST, with the Netherlands' Interbeton; and the local/Belgian Six Construct Abu Dhabi. Bids are already under evaluation for the two other marina packages covering precincts A, and B and C. The UK's Maunsell is the consultant (MEED 26:5:06).

ALDAR is also reviewing plans for a number of new developments at Mina Zayed, Sas al-Nakheel and on Abu Dhabi island. For the redevelopment of Mina Zayed, a masterplan has been prepared byAustralia's Esquisse. The plan is under review in terms of market opportunity and Abu Dhabi's need for particular types of business space. The request for proposals (RFP) for PMC and infrastructure design that was issued late last year remains valid. 'The RFPs were premature, but we have them, and we are speaking to the companies involved,' said Barrott (MEED 4:11:05).

Design proposals are under review for a villa project in the Sas al-Nakheel area known as Al-Falah. Bidders include: the UK's Morrison; the local office of KEO International Consultants; and an unidentified US-based company. The brief involves the design of about 5,000 villas and infrastructure (MEED 21:10:06).

A feasibility study for a mixed-use project is also under way for a project off the coast of Abu Dhabi island close to Emirates Palace. The scheme is understood to involve the construction of a new villa development, a small marina and a hotel resort.

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