Efforts are underway to push for a significant policy shift that could see residents in Bahrain’s newly-urbanised areas receiving vital infrastructure services and public facilities without having to wait for years.
At present, the Housing and Urban Planning Ministry mandates that at least 50 per cent of any residential development must be inhabited before services such as roads, lighting, public transport, schools, clinics, parks and sewage systems are set up.
Municipal leaders believe this policy is outdated and leads to prolonged suffering, especially for families who are among the first to move into new areas, often having to endure years of isolation and lack of basic amenities.
The campaign to change this threshold is being spearheaded by Southern Municipal Council chairman Abdulla Abdullatif, who is calling for the minimum habitation rate to be slashed to 20pc, with planning and implementation of services beginning as soon as the first residents move in.
His proposal has received full support from Bahrain’s two other municipal councils – Muharraq and the Northern Governorate – as well as the Capital Trustees Board.
“The 50pc benchmark simply doesn’t work anymore,” Mr Abdullatif told the GDN.
“We have families moving into vast, newly-developed areas with no functioning roads, no proper lighting, no transport links and no community infrastructure. This is not only inefficient but, frankly, unfair.”
Mr Abdullatif cited several examples in the Southern Governorate where new housing schemes have been delivered, but remain largely unserviced for years, deterring new families from moving in.
“We are calling for a policy that prioritises people, not population thresholds,” he said.
“Services and facilities should be part of the urbanisation plan from the beginning. If we start preparing them when the first family moves in and complete them by the time 20pc is occupied, we can create liveable, dignified environments that encourage growth.
“Bahrainis deserve to live in complete, serviced neighbourhoods from the moment they receive their keys. Anything less is a disservice to the very people we’ve built these homes for.”
Muharraq Municipal Council chairman Abdulaziz Al Naar echoed the sentiment, adding that people should not be made to feel like they are being punished for accepting a new home early.
“The ministry’s 50pc rule creates a chicken-and-egg situation,” he said.
“People don’t move in because there are no services and there are no services because people don’t move in. We’ve seen it in some private residential developments and parts of Samaheej. This needs to change,” he added.
He claimed that council members have received repeated complaints from residents who say they face long waits just to see basic roadworks begin, often having to navigate gravel paths or water-logged lanes for years.
“This is not just about inconvenience – it affects health and safety,” he added.
Northern Municipal Council chairman Dr Sayed Shubbar Al Wedaie said that the impact was even ‘more acute’ in his governorate, which has seen a sharp rise in housing allocations in recent years.
“It makes no sense to have people in their homes, living amid construction sites or on empty lots with no signs of development around them,” Dr Al Wedaie said.
“Families feel like they’ve been abandoned. We have new districts in Janabiya, Buri and Northern Town where residents are pleading for parks, streetlights and even proper waste collection.
“Lowering the threshold to 20pc and beginning facility preparation early will ensure smoother integration and quicker urban cohesion,” he added.
Capital Trustees Board chairman Saleh Tarradah also threw his weight behind the initiative, describing the current model as ‘structurally flawed’.
He highlighted the importance of aligning urban development strategies with human needs, rather than sticking to bureaucratic benchmarks.
“We are not building ghost towns,” Mr Tarradah said. “We are building communities, and communities need more than just buildings – they need services that make life functional and meaningful.”
He called on the Housing and Urban Planning Ministry to engage with municipal bodies and adopt a more dynamic, real-time assessment model, whereby service provision begins based on projected need and not just occupancy ratios.
“Urban growth is not just about how many people are present, it’s about how many people will come and what they’ll need to thrive,” Mr Tarradah explained. “We should be planning ahead, not playing catch-up.”
The three councils and the board are now drafting a joint memorandum to be submitted to Parliament and the Cabinet, calling for the revision of current planning frameworks.
They are also seeking a meeting with Housing and Urban Planning Minister Amna Al Romaihi to highlight the plight of residents, who they claim, have been left in limbo due to delayed infrastructure rollouts.
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
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