The Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) and Dubai developer Nakheel have formed a joint venture to develop a AED75m ($20m) community retail centre in Sharjah.

Design work is under way - and Nakheel says details of the project will be unveiled this year.

The project is Nakheel’s first outside Dubai, and involves the development of a shopping, dining and leisure hub in the Al-Rahmaniya district, managed by its Nakheel Malls retail subsidiary.

Shurooq is partnering with investors to develop other projects in Sharjah. In January, together with Abu Dhabi’s Eagle Hills it officially launched three projects in the emirate worth a total of AED2.7bn.

Shurooq has also formed a strategic partnership with Kuwaiti real estate developer Mabanee to develop a shopping mall on Mohammed bin Zayed Road in the Mughaider area.