Local developer Emaar Properties has extended the tender closing date for the contract to build the world’s largest shopping mall in Dubai.

The deadline has been moved to 26 April. The original closing date was 17 December 2017.

It is understood at least three groups are taking part in the tender for the estimated AED15bn-AED18bn ($4bn-$5bn) deal. They are:

• Alec (local)/Arabian Construction Company (ACC; Lebanon)/ Dutco Balfour Beatty (local)
• China State Construction Engineering Corporation (China)
• Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC; Lebanon)/Shapoorji Pallonji (India)/Ssangyong (South Korea)

The total built-up area of the mall is expected to be about 3 million square metres, with 1.7 million sq m of retail, 550,000 sq m of residential, 180,000 sq m of commercial, a 175,000-sq-m basement, and a 40,000-sq-m hotel. Emaar’s Dubai Mall, which is the world’s largest shopping centre by total area, has a total area of 1.124 million sq m.

The consultants working on the mall are Netherlands-based Arcadis and the UK’s Benoy.

Another key component of the Dubai Creek Harbour development is the world’s tallest structure, known as The Tower at Dubai Creek Harbour. Emaar reissued tender documents for the main structural works in October 2017. It is understood the closing date for that tender is now in January.

In October 2016, Dubai officially confirmed the tower will be the world’s tallest man-made structure when it is completed. The final height has not been disclosed. To become the world’s tallest tower, it will have to be more than 1,008 metres in height, which is the expected height of the under-construction Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia.

The 6-square-kilometre Dubai Creek Harbour development is located in the Ras al-Khor area on the banks of Dubai Creek. The programme manager for the development is US-based Hill International. The scheme is being developed by a joint venture of Emaar and Dubai Holding.