Developers across Bahrain may soon be required to cover unfinished façades with large billboards showing completed designs or lease the space for approved advertising, as part of a municipal drive to address unsightly stalled buildings along main roads.
The proposal, debated for the past months, was finally endorsed unanimously by the Capital Trustees Board, clearing a procedural deadlock that had seen members divided over how the idea should be enforced.
At the heart of the move is a simple concept: instead of leaving half-built structures exposed for years, owners would be asked to use the frontage for regulated advertising or artistic impressions of the completed development, improving the streetscape while generating municipal revenue.
Capital Trustees Authority (Municipality) director-general Alya Yousif said the mechanism already exists in law and does not require complex amendments to construction permits.
“There is no need to mention any instruction in municipal construction permits regarding stalled projects,” she said.
“This can be easily managed through the 1973 Advertisements Law for any type of building.
“Owners will pay for the advertisement space and they can put artist impressions of their finished project to cover the construction property or simply lease it to others.
“There are municipal fees associated with the advertisement permissions according to space and time.”
The idea was originally presented by board member Dr Bashar Ahmedi, who argued that stalled projects had become a form of visual pollution along key roads.
“Instead of leaving them as scars on the city, we can convert them into organised advertising spaces that improve the view and support municipal projects,” he said.
Dr Ahmedi noted that feedback and coverage on GDN Media had helped push the discussion forward.
The proposal had earlier been reviewed by technical and financial committees, which supported the concept as a practical way to reduce visual blight, improve safety and create a temporary income stream for municipalities.
However, previous discussions had stalled over whether the measure should be enforced through fines, conditions in building permits or municipal takeover powers when projects are delayed for more than a year.
Ms Yousif’s intervention shifted the debate by clarifying that municipalities already have the authority to regulate advertising space without entering legal disputes over construction delays.
Board vice-chairwoman Dr Khulood Al Qattan stressed that the issue was never about revenue generation alone.
“This is not about municipal revenues. It is about removing eyesores from our streets,” she said.
“Residents and visitors should not have to look at exposed concrete and steel structures for years when there are simple solutions that can make these sites more presentable.”
Under the plan, developers could either install large printed covers showing the final design of the building or lease the space for approved commercial advertising, subject to municipal rules and fees.
The move is expected to apply particularly to buildings on main roads and highways, where stalled projects have the most visible impact on the urban landscape.
A final decision will now rest with Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture Minister Wael Al Mubarak. If approved, the system could be rolled out across Bahrain as a standard practice for buildings under prolonged construction.
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