ISA Town could soon have a new BD95 million ($252 million) market area, featuring two shopping complexes. It will replace the current Isa Town Market and will be built across 87,000sqm.

Work is expected to take about three-and-a-half years, according to developers Kuwait Commercial Markets Complex Company, who met Central Municipal Council members yesterday to present the proposal.

The main shopping complex will consist of three floors, basement and a car park area.

It will feature a traditional market taking up the ground and first floors with around 380 shops, 40sqm to 120sqm each.

The second complex will house a vegetable, meat and fish market with nearly 200 stands as well as furniture and carpets stores.

The complexes will be surrounded by around five restaurants as well as 20 additional stores and coffee shops.

The project was designed based on traditional Bahraini designs, said the developers.

'We are honoured to enter the Bahraini market. We have gained some experience in developing and managing traditional markets with our project in Kuwait to rebuild the Al Mubarakiya Market,' said investment and development deputy general manager Ali Al Dawoud.

This project would create more than 500 job opportunities for Bahrainis, he added.

'We will co-ordinate with the Labour Ministry to appoint Bahrainis and we will try our best to recruit as many as possible,' said Mr Al Dawoud.

The company assured the councillors that traders in the current market would have priority in renting the shops.

'Once we vacate the site, we will work on building a temporary place for them until the project is complete, which is included in the project's budget,' said real estate development assistant manager Ali Al Sayegh.

Present at the meeting were also Central Municipality officials.

The project will now be reviewed by the council before it is presented to the Agriculture and Municipalities Affairs Ministry for approval.-TradeArabia News Service