The Kurdistan Investment Commission has approved the construction of the estimated $500m Avro City in Dahuk province as security in the area improves.

Avro City was awarded in 2008 to a Turkish joint venture of Gurbag Construction Group and Guinsal Construction Company. The regional government decided in late-June to push ahead with the scheme.

It had become reluctant to issue a license to build the million-square-metre project because of political and economic uncertainty in the autonomous, but disputed region, says a source involved with the investment commission.

Gurbag and Guinsal used in-house designers to create the masterplan for Avro City. The project will include the following components:

• 120 low-rise buildings
• 3,396 apartment units
• 56 single-family villas
• 40,000 sq m of education facilities
• Five-star hotel
• Sports stadium
• Commercial district
• Healthcare facilities
• Emergency services district
• Restaurants
• Mosques

Despite being one of Iraq’s smallest provinces, the 6,500 square-kilometre Dahuk province has seen almost $100m in approved projects this year.  

The province’s most significant projects include the following:

Elsewhere in Iraq, the National Investment Commission has approached international builders to help finance and build the remaining portions of its estimated $550m Basrah Sports City (MEED 24:6:10).

Baghdad has committed to finishing the 360-acre Basrah Sports City by the time Iraq hosts the Gulf Cup of Nations football tournament in early 2013. Many of the unfinished sections of the projects have been given priority status.