Sobha Realty has announced its entry into Abu Dhabi with the launch of Sobha City, a master-planned community in Al Bahiya that marks the developer’s first large-scale residential project in the UAE capital.
The development is located along the E10 and E12 corridor, close to Zayed International Airport and Yas Island. It spans approximately 38 million square feet in total, with an initial phase covering around 8 million square feet of land area.
Sobha Realty, which has built developments across Dubai and Umm Al Quwain over a 50-year period, described the project as a “city within a city” that will function as a self-sustained ecosystem. The gated development is designed around what the company calls a low-density, nature-led Madinat concept.
Sobha Realty enters Abu Dhabi market with Sobha City development near Yas Island
Approximately 60 per cent of the masterplan is allocated to open and green spaces. The plans include more than 50,000 trees, forest-inspired landscapes and shaded walkways. An 18-kilometre wellness loop runs through the development, and pedestrian pathways are a feature of the layout.
“Abu Dhabi holds a unique position as a city that balances cultural authenticity with forward-looking ambition, and our entry reflects a long-term belief in its evolution not just as a solid real estate market, but as a place where communities can grow with family-oriented intention. Sobha City has been envisioned as a living environment that feels calm, enduring, and deeply connected to its surroundings, while being future-ready,” Ravi Menon, Chairman, Sobha Group said in a statement.
A two-kilometre waterfront promenade and marina destination form part of the masterplan, combining leisure, retail and social spaces. The development will also include schools, healthcare facilities, mosques and a Par-3 golf course designed by Greg Norman Golf Course Design.
The design draws on Abu Dhabi’s coastal and natural landscapes, incorporating water, greenery and architecture in what the developer describes as a “live-connect-restore” ecosystem.
Sobha City will include waterfront apartments, estate and garden villas, and mansions. The developer said the residences are aimed at families seeking permanence and investors looking for long-term value.
Each residence will be built using Sobha Realty’s Backward Integration model, a proprietary approach in which the company retains control over design, engineering and construction. The company said this model has delivered what it describes as above-market performance across its portfolio.
“As we expand our footprint into Abu Dhabi, Sobha City will be embodiment of our vertically integrated approach to development ensuring not only exceptional quality but also long-term resilience and value. This position us strongly within a market driven by sustained population growth, investor-friendly policies, and projected increased demand for integrated, lifestyle-oriented developments,” Francis Alfred, Sobha Realty’s Managing Director added.
The launch adds to Sobha Realty’s portfolio in the UAE, which includes developments in Dubai and Umm Al Quwain such as Sobha Siniya Island and Downtown UAQ.
The announcement comes as Abu Dhabi pursues economic diversification, infrastructure development and a focus on liveability and sustainability. The project aligns with Abu Dhabi Vision 2030, which aims to build a knowledge-based economy supported by planned communities.
