Meraas awards AED 2.4bn contracts to build 557 Dubai villas at The Acres and The Acres Estate
Meraas awards AED 2.4bn in construction contracts to deliver 557 luxury Dubai villas across The Acres and The Acres Estate in Dubai Land, boosting high-end supply.
Meraas, a unit of Dubai Holding Real Estate, has awarded AED 2.4 billion ($653 million) of construction contracts to advance two flagship villa communities in Dubai Land, the company announced. The contracts cover the build, testing, operation and handover of 557 homes as part of new phases at The Acres and The Acres Estate, reinforcing demand for Dubai villas from local and international buyers.
Contracts and financial scope
The awarded contracts total AED 2.4 billion and were disclosed in a company statement released yesterday. The package includes full delivery obligations — construction, testing, commissioning and transfer of completed villas to owners.
Meraas said the agreements represent a major investment in its high-end residential portfolio and form part of a wider pipeline of luxury villa projects across the city. The scale of spending signals confidence in continued buyer appetite for premium standalone homes in Dubai.
Project breakdown: villas and infrastructure
Under the contracts, The Acres will see an addition of 371 villas in its final development phase, while The Acres Estate will deliver 186 villas. Work on The Acres also includes the main infrastructure for the community’s new phase, encompassing roads, utilities and communal systems.
Collectively the two projects will add 557 detached homes to Dubai Land’s inventory, expanding product choice for families seeking larger plots and private amenity. The scope explicitly covers commissioning and operational handover, indicating Meraas is contracting for end-to-end delivery rather than shell-only works.
Contractors appointed and delivery commitments
Union Engineering Construction, trading as Younk, was named as the main contractor for The Acres phase, while GCC Contracting will handle construction at The Acres Estate. Both firms were selected after a competitive tendering process, the statement said.
Meraas signalled that contractor selection was driven by an emphasis on disciplined execution and high-quality standards. Company executives said the appointments reflect shared commitments to craftsmanship, technical rigour and timely delivery for projects at this level of specification.
Market context and buyer demand
Meraas’s move comes amid sustained interest in Dubai villas, a segment that has drawn both domestic buyers and overseas investors seeking larger properties and long-term value. Developers across the emirate have been expanding luxury villa supply to meet a shift in buyer preferences toward single-family homes with private outdoor space.
Dubai’s villa market has benefited from a combination of lifestyle demand, comparative value versus other global cities, and the appeal of family-oriented masterplans like Dubai Land. Meraas described the contracts as a direct response to “strong demand” and a continuation of its investment strategy to deliver differentiated residential communities.
Quality controls, community amenities and standards
The contracts require comprehensive testing and operational handover, highlighting Meraas’s focus on quality assurance and fit-for-purpose delivery. The inclusion of main infrastructure works for The Acres suggests the company aims to integrate landscaping, utilities and communal amenities from the outset.
Executives emphasised performance standards and technical competence as central to the construction brief, citing the need to meet the expectations of high-end buyers. This approach is likely to include detailed commissioning regimes, snagging processes and final owner handover protocols.
Implications for supply and the Dubai Land precinct
The new phases will increase available villa stock within Dubai Land, a long-standing suburban masterplan popular with families and investors. By adding 557 villas, Meraas strengthens its position among developers targeting upper-tier villa buyers and contributes to the area’s broader development momentum.
Analysts expect the additional supply to offer buyers more choice without immediately saturating market demand, given the premium positioning and relatively targeted buyer profile for such homes. The award of large-scale contracts also supports local construction activity and the supply chain across engineering, materials and landscaping sectors.
The new contracts for The Acres and The Acres Estate mark a significant development step for Meraas’s residential portfolio and for the Dubai villas market more broadly. With contractors appointed and comprehensive delivery obligations in place, the projects are set to progress through construction, testing and handover, aligning with the company’s stated objective of meeting robust buyer demand for premium standalone homes.