THE government has been asked to fast-track urban planning and infrastructure work on Nurana Island where Bahraini citizens remain unable to develop or use their legally owned properties.
This follows MPs yesterday unanimously approving an urgent motion submitted by Parliament services committee chairman Mamdooh Al Saleh.
For over a decade, landowners on the man-made Nurana Island have faced major delays in development due to a lack of approved urban planning and basic infrastructure. Despite owning land on the island, many citizens have been unable to build homes, sell plots, or qualify for government housing support.
“It’s been 10 years, and people still cannot get building permits because there is no infrastructure in place,” said Mr Al Saleh during the session.
“These are traded properties, bought with hard-earned money, and yet owners are left without options; some are renting small apartments or living in overcrowded conditions because they cannot develop their own land.”
The island has around 2.32km of space, capable of accommodating between 500 and 600 homes, according to Mr Al Saleh. Yet despite its strategic location on the northern coast and the clear housing demand, progress has remained stalled.
He claimed citizens who have purchased land on the island are automatically excluded from government housing programmes even though they are unable to use or benefit from the land due to the government’s failure to complete infrastructure work.
“These people are caught in a bureaucratic trap,” Mr Al Saleh explained.
“They have real estate loans to pay, but no way to develop their plots or access housing support.”
With more than 50,000 Bahrainis currently on housing waiting lists, MPs stressed that unlocking stalled land on Nurana Island could play a vital role in easing national housing pressures.
The proposal has now been referred to the Cabinet for review.
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