Kuwait’s Public Authority for Housing Welfare (PAHW) is preparing to award a contract for an investment opportunities transaction advisor.

Financial advisory consultants have submitted bids to advise on mixed-use real estate areas at Jaber al-Ahmed and Sabah al-Ahmed Cities.

The work includes structuring five packages for private sector investment:

• 98 residential plots in Jaber al-Ahmed City
• Commercial and retail malls in Jaber al-Ahmed City
• Commercial centre and retail space in Jaber al-Ahmed City
• A souk area in Sabah al-Ahmed City
• Offices banks and food & beverage space in Sabah al-Ahmed City

Jaber al-Ahmed City will have 6,679 housing units over 1,245 hectares.

Sabah al-Ahmed City will include 11,794 housing units over 4,000 hectares.

Construction on infrastructure and residential units in both projects is already underway, with some areas complete.

PAHW told the MEED Construction Leadership Summit in Dubai in May that it was engaging with developers to implement industrial and commercial areas in its new cities on a build-operate-transfer basis.

It has a very large pipeline of new cities, integrating residential zones with commercial and industrial zones to create jobs for residents.

PAHW is expecting to tender 50 or 60 contracts to implement the construction of the $20bn South al-Mutlaa City. It will cover 104 square kilometres and include 30,000 housing units. A consortium led by Salini Impregilio won a $956m contract for roads and infrastructure, while the US’ Hill International is the project management consultant.

PAHW is also creating a special purpose vehicle (SPV) with South Korea’s Land and Housing Corporation to develop South Saad al-Abdulla City. The $10-15bn city will have a population of 300,000 to 400,000 people, and cover 59 square kilometres.