The UAE government is set to develop a Dh1 billion ($272 million) residential complex under its Sheikh Zayed Housing Programme for citizens over a sprawling 1.3-million-sq-m area in the northern emirate of Sharjah.

The designs of the Al Sayouh '16' Residential Complex, which features 36 two-bedroom, 46 three-bedroom and 730 four bed-room units, were recently unveiled by Sheikh Zayed Housing Programme, said the state news agency Wam.

A total of 821 housing units will be built under this project, the largest of its kind undertaken by the Programme offering a combination of a luxurious quality of life and sustainability, stated the report, citing a senior official.

"The project masterplan has been approved and the groundwork has also been completed," revealed Mohammed Al Mansouri, the executive director of Architecture at the Programme.

The creative, high-quality and energy-effective designs of the Al Sayouh Residential Complex are the first-of-its-kind in terms of size and architectural model to be executed under the Programme, Al Mansouri was quoted as saying in the report.

The project is aimed at meeting the requirements of Emirati families and is due for completion by the end of 2020, it added.