King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC), a megaproject in Saudi Arabia, has developed a 48,000 sq m plot to build a housing project consisting of 5,000 bed spaces for the workforce employed in the Industrial Valley.

Located in the heart of KAEC’s Industrial Valley, The Village will begin project delivery by the first quarter of 2015.

“At KAEC we are building a 21st century city that is a globally admired model of diversified residential communities and which is growing fast to become a prestigious smart city with a sustainable environment,” said Fahd Al-Rasheed, managing director and CEO of KAEC.

“We believe the success of any city depends on the rich diversity of the people who live and work there, and that is why KAEC is considered a role model of an integrated city which brings pride to the citizens of Saudi Arabia as a forward looking concept that meets the needs of all income levels.

“As part of our integrated services that create an ideal and advantageous business environment for investors in KAEC, we have developed The Village to provide labor accommodation conveniently located all in one place,” he added.

Charles Biele, chief operating officer-Residential Development in KAEC, said: “The Village concept is KAEC’s housing solution for labor employees.”

“We’ve developed it on the basis that research shows a strong link between productivity and environment; in other words, what’s good for workers is good for business too. By raising the standard of housing for KAEC’s workers we are raising the quality of life for everyone.

“The high quality purpose-built blocks are available in two levels, Senior and Regular, enabling employers to lease accommodations that match specific workforce requirements – either by room, by floor or by building - with a range of flexible pricing packages to address each employer’s needs,” Biele explained.

The Village housing development is located at the heart of the Industrial Valley and offers a problem free and affordable solution for employers. Destined to become the benchmark for labor housing throughout the Kingdom, the Village consists of modern purpose-built accommodation that provides comfortable and convenient living accommodation for labor employees and supervisors working in KAEC.

Set in a clean, safe and contemporary environment, the Village offers an enriching quality of life with a wide range of recreational and service facilities that include a mosque, clinic and pharmacy, a minimarket, laundry, barber, post office, money transfer facility, dining hall, and recreation and sports areas. There is also a vocational training center and a dedicated transport bay giving workers access to their own fleet of buses.

To ensure that the accommodation and recreation spaces are well-maintained, KAEC will appoint a specialist operator to run the Village facilities management. The operator will provide high quality services including cleaners, groundkeepers, chefs, electricians and plumbers. – TradeArabia News Service