Leighton International, through its 45 per cent-owned associate Al Habtoor Engineering, has won a $350 million contract for the construction of a major mixed-use development in Abu Dhabi for United Holdings.

The project, currently known as the Plot 9 hotel, residential and commercial complex, comprises: a 40-storey hotel tower; a 25-storey tower containing serviced apartments; a 19-storey residential tower; and an 18-storey office tower.

The overall built up area of the project exceeds 240,000 square metres.

Construction on the project will begin in early February and will be completed in two stages. Stage 1 will be completed in December 2009, and Stage 2 will be completed in July 2010.

The project follows the award to Al Habtoor in December of the $550 million Jafza Convention Centre in Dubai, and two hotels for Aldar in Abu Dhabi worth $130 million.

In November the company also secured the $290 million JW Marriott Hotel in Abu Dhabi. The JW Marriott project, for Abu Dhabi National Hotels, represented the first contract won by Al Habtoor since its merger with the Arabian Gulf operations of Leighton International in September last year. - Reuters