Abu Dhabi’s Lulu Island, the 400-hectare man-made island that has been lying untouched for decades, will get a new lease of life. Eagle Hills Properties, a private real estate investment and development company based in Abu Dhabi, has confirmed that it will undertake the development of the island located off the Corniche.
The project that could make Lulu Island one of the prominent sites in the Emirate was created in the 1980s using reclaimed sand and was originally built as a breakwater. It served a key role in protecting Abu Dhabi Island from high tides.
However, for decades it has been lying abandoned despite its expansive beaches, waterfront views and its proximity to the capital’s city centre.
Not anymore. According to local media reports, signs indicate the project has shifted from the planning stage to execution, with heavy machinery, cranes, and excavators operating on the island, alongside the transport of workers there by boat.
Eagle Hills, led by Mohamed Alabbar, told The National that it would undertake the development. However, they are yet to confirm the nature of these connections or the timeline for their implementation.
The work on the island, which was opened to the public in 2007, began on early 2000s, when contracts were first awarded for its development. Seven years later, it was opened to the public. Then, it featured restaurants, coffee shops, riding tracks, artificial lakes and a ferry service connecting it to Abu Dhabi. That same year, Sorouh Real Estate appointed Miami-based Arquitectonica to develop a masterplan.
However, with the onset of the recession, further development came to a halt. The suspension of its ferry service in 2009 came as another blow, leaving it dormant.
With the restart of the work, the project could be included in the government’s Plan Abu Dhabi 2030 framework. The "Abu Dhabi 2030" framework identifies Lulu Island as a key element of the capital's urban landscape, given its prime location facing Abu Dhabi’s city centre and its visual and symbolic significance at the city's gateway.
Real estate consultants indicate that current concepts lean towards low-rise residential buildings—including apartments, villas, and mansions—though Eagle Hills has not yet confirmed the specific unit mix or the project's urban density.
