Dubai-based developer Nakheel has awarded the local Metac General Contracting a AED44m ($12m) for the construction of a new, 10,000-square-metre retail and recreation centre at its Al-Furjan development in the Jebel Ali area of Dubai.

The centre will contain 24 shops, including a 3,000 sq m supermarket, plus 10 cafes and restaurants. It will also have a swimming pool, gym, sports court and parking for 360 cars.

Construction is scheduled to start in the fourth quarter of this year, and Nakheel says more than 70 per cent of retail space has already been booked.

The Al-Furjan community centre is one of four neighbourhood malls Nakheel is developing. Retail centres at Discovery Gardens and Jumeirah Park will open this year, while International City’s community centre is due to open in 2015.

Nakheel is also developing much larger shopping malls on Deira Islands and the Palm Jumeirah. In June, it appointed Singapore’s RSP as the design consultant for the shopping mall it plans to build on its Deira Islands development.

The 2 million-square-foot shopping mall will be built on Island A and is one of the major projects Nakheel is developing itself on the project. Other schemes include an Arab souk-style night market; a 250-room hotel; an amphitheatre for 30,000 people; and a boardwalk and marina that can accommodate large yachts.

In May, it awarded the AED1.2bn ($327m) contract to build the Nakheel Mall development on the Palm Jumeirah to UAE firms United Engineering Construction (UNEC) and Actco General Contracting Company.

The 418,000 sq m mall will be built at the northern end of the trunk of Palm Jumeirah. Due for completion in 2016, the complex will include 200 shops, 4,000 parking bays, two anchor department stores, a nine-screen cinema and six medical clinics. There will also be a roof plaza with 12 fine-dining restaurants, as well as several cafes and eateries inside.

RSP is also the consultant on that mall.