Latest news with #TheMeadows
Khaleej Times
19 hours ago
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Dubai's villa market surges as scarcity, prestige drive prices to record highs
Dubai's villa market has emerged as the standout segment of the emirate's booming real estate sector, with a sharp surge in prices, intensifying demand, and limited supply pushing homes in prime villa communities into record territory. Latest research shows that villas, long prized for their space, privacy, and lifestyle advantages, now account for just seven per cent of all homes listed for sale in Dubai, underscoring the scarcity that continues to fuel their desirability. According to eXp Dubai, while villas make up only a fraction of the emirate's overall housing stock, certain neighbourhoods remain heavily weighted towards them, providing focused hotspots for prospective buyers. Communities such as The Meadows, Al Manara, Hadaeq Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid, Al Twar, and Al Rashidiya currently report 100 per cent villa availability. Meanwhile, new master-planned projects are also tilting strongly towards detached homes: The Oasis by Emaar and The Villa both list 99 per cent villas, while The Acres follows closely at 98 per cent. Other top villa destinations include The Lakes (97 per cent), Jumeirah Park (96 per cent), Emirates Hills (95 per cent), and established family favourites such as Arabian Ranches, The Springs, Tilal Al Ghaf, and Arabian Ranches 2, where between 83 and 89 per cent of listings are villas. Real estate experts said the dominance of villas highlights the underlying market preference for spacious, independent homes offering private gardens, larger internal layouts, and community amenities. 'Dubai has firmly established itself as one of the world's leading lifestyle markets, and nowhere is that more evident than in the appetite for villas,' said Dounia Fadi, managing director of eXp Dubai. 'For families, high-net-worth buyers, and long-term residents, the privacy, space, and quality of life that comes with villa living is highly attractive. Our research shows that while villas remain a relatively scarce commodity across Dubai overall, certain communities are heavily weighted towards them, providing real choice for those determined to secure this style of property.' 'Dubai's villa surge reflects more than a property cycle. It is a statement about the city's evolving lifestyle aspirations, its magnetism for global wealth, and its enduring allure for families seeking space and privacy. With villas now priced well above historic peaks and demand still far outstripping supply, Dubai has reaffirmed its status as a world-class hub where real estate scarcity itself has become a measure of prestige,' said V. Sivaprasad, chairman of Condor Developers. Beyond their scarcity, villas have also outperformed the wider property market in terms of price growth. Data from ValuStrat shows that the average price of villas grew by two per cent in May alone, with a year-on-year jump of 29 per cent. Some locations have seen exceptional appreciation, with villas in Jumeirah Islands rising 41 per cent and Palm Jumeirah 40 per cent over the past year. Emirates Hills and The Meadows recorded increases of 27 per cent. Overall, Dubai's freehold villas are now valued 66 per cent above their 2014 market peak and a remarkable 175 per cent higher than post-pandemic levels, reflecting the influx of high-net-worth individuals to the city and its growing stature as a global hub for luxury living. The capital gains have been most dramatic in exclusive neighbourhoods such as Palm Jumeirah, where the average villa price now exceeds Dh25 million, and Emirates Hills, often dubbed the 'Beverly Hills of Dubai'. In these premium areas, demand from global investors and wealthy expatriates ensures a constant upward trajectory in valuations. Jumeirah Bay Island has also joined the top league of ultra-luxury villa destinations, with limited plots commanding staggering premiums. Yet even as these areas set benchmarks for prestige pricing, more affordable villa communities such as Dubailand and Damac Hills 2 are offering entry points for aspiring homeowners, with prices starting from Dh1.2 million to Dh2.5 million. This dual track of high-end exclusivity and suburban affordability ensures Dubai's villa market appeals across diverse income brackets. Analysts note that price growth has not been confined to villas alone. Apartments have also appreciated, with an annual increase of 20 per cent across the city, led by areas such as The Greens, Dubai Silicon Oasis, and Town Square. Yet the scale of villa appreciation is unmatched, with some communities registering gains of up to 92 per cent over the past three years, according to Allsopp & Allsopp. Such sustained demand reflects shifting preferences among both investors and end-users towards more spacious, lifestyle-oriented homes, particularly as rising apartment rentals push families towards suburban villas. Several structural factors underpin this surge. Limited land availability for new villa developments, combined with developers' focus on high-end master-planned communities, ensures a constrained pipeline of detached homes. 'At the same time, Dubai's strong economic growth, rising population, and continued inflows of global investors are intensifying competition for quality housing. Interest rate movements and mortgage costs add another layer of complexity, but the overwhelming influence remains the perception of villas as a premium, long-term investment,' said Jayakrishnan Bhaskar, director of Ozon Marketing. Market observers say the trend is likely to persist, though at a moderated pace. ValuStrat forecasts property prices in Dubai could rise by another 10 per cent before the end of 2025, though growth will gradually stabilise as the market matures and supply catches up with demand.
Irish Examiner
30-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Second Estuary View apartment plan for Bessborough site rejected
Another set of plans for an apartment development on lands of the former Bessborough mother and baby home in Cork City has been rejected just days after an even larger apartment complex in a separate part of the grounds was refused planning permission. An Coimisiún Pleanála — formerly known as An Bord Pleanála — ruled that a proposal by developer Estuary View Enterprises (EVE) 2020 Limited, to demolish a large number of agricultural buildings and construct 140 apartments on the grounds of Bessborough House in Blackrock failed to meet the planning requirements in terms of unit mix. Just 1% of apartments in the scheme named The Farm were three-bed units compared to the target of 28% set by Cork City Council. An Coimisiún Pleanála said the plans for the 5.1-hectare site represented a material contravention of the Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028 with no justification provided by the developer for its unit mix. However, the commission did not adopt a recommendation of its own planning inspector that the application should also be refused planning permission because it was not satisfied that the site was not previously used as a children's burial ground. The inspector, Colin McBride, said such a reason had been the basis for An Bord Pleanála to reject two earlier proposed developments in other parts of the Bessborough lands and it would similarly be premature to approve The Farm scheme. The Meadows plan also rejected The decision of An Coimisiún Pleanála comes just after it rejected plans by the same developer for a 280-unit apartment scheme, The Meadows, on a 2.29-hectare site in the Bessborough grounds. An Coimisiún Pleanála based its refusal in relation to that site on both the unit mix and excessive scale of the plans which it ruled would be 'visually obtrusive' as well as constituting a substandard form of 'incongruous' development. However, it also did not adopt a similar recommendation by Mr McBride that planning permission should also be refused over concerns about potential burial grounds of children. An artist's impression of a proposed bridge to the Blackrock to Passage West greenway as part of the proposed 280-unit Meadows scheme at Bessborough which was rejected last week by An Coimisiun Pleanála. The two proposals are part of a three-part masterplan by EVE to open up a large part of the Bessborough lands for the creation of new communities and a large publicly-accessible parkland area. A planning application has still to be submitted for the proposed third phase of 200 apartments in a western part of the grounds. Permissions for the Farms and Meadows schemes were sought under the process for strategic housing developments which obviated the need to first submit an application to Cork City Council. However, the local authority recommended that EVE's planning application for the Farm scheme should be approved subject to a number of conditions including the omission of one of the proposed five apartment blocks and a reduction in the height of two other buildings. It also supported the separate plans for the Meadows scheme. In contrast, elected members of Cork City Council at a meeting in 2022 were generally opposed to both developments due to concerns about historic legacy issues associated with the sites and the appropriateness of the projects. An aerial view of the former Bessborough convent in Blackrock, Cork City, where the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary ran a mother and baby home from 1922 until 1998. Picture: Denis Scannell The Farm scheme had also provided for a new pedestrian/cycle bridge over the Passage West Greenway while two repurposed farmyard buildings were due to be used for some apartment units as well as a creche, library, lounge and function space. Estuary View Enterprises said it had met with the Cork Survivors & Supporters Alliance (CSSA) at an early stage of the design process for the Farm scheme because of the sensitivity associated with the location. However, the developer said the locations within the Bessborough lands that were of concern to the group which they wanted preserved were outside the company's control but that the CSSA had no objection to the principle of the Farm scheme.
Irish Examiner
25-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Plans for 280 apartments on campus of former Bessborough mother and baby home refused
A proposal for 280 apartments on part of the former Bessborough mother and baby home campus in Cork has been shot down. An Coimisiún Pleanála, formerly An Bord Pleanála, gave two key reasons, linked to concerns about housing mix and its design, for rejecting Estuary View's The Meadows scheme – one of two large residential schemes proposed by the company on separate sites it owns at Bessborough. The buy-to-sell Meadows scheme was earmarked for a landbank on the eastern side of the site, and included four buildings ranging in height from one to 10 storeys. It was submitted to the former Bord Pleanála in 2021 under the since-discontinued strategic housing development (SHD) process. It also proposed a new pedestrian and cycle way bridge connection with the Blackrock to Passage West greenway, which flanks the site's eastern boundary. The zoning in the area permits residential, but it is an area designated as high landscape value. However, in its ruling An Coimisiún Pleanála said the mix of units did not meet the target levels set out in the city development plan. It also said no "statement of housing mix" was submitted, and therefore no justification had been provided in relation to the proposed mix of units. Secondly, it said it considered its 'excessive and sustained scale, bulk and mass in combination with height, and the consequent plot ratio" would be visually obtrusive from several viewpoints within and adjoining the site. Burial ground The commission also noted a third recommended reason for refusal from its inspector – the presence of a potential burial ground immediately in front of the folly – which was among the reasons for its decision to refuse permission for a previous SHD application and another housing proposal on Bessborough. But it said it believes the Meadows site, could, subject to careful forensic monitoring of ground works, be more amenable to residential development, and it decided not to include this as a reason for refusal. Labour Cllr Peter Horgan said: "Given that this entire site is fraught with emotion and history, we need to put an end to the constant retrenching of concern that is brought whenever an application is provided here." Estuary View declined to comment.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Deer Dashes Through Harness Race At The Meadows
Deer Dashes Through Harness Race At The Meadows originally appeared on Paulick Report. It was an interesting sight at The Meadows in Washington, Pa., when a deer ran across the track as the horses went down the stretch for the first time. Advertisement Luckily, no one was hurt, and the deer made it safely across the track. Track announcer Jeff Zidek was caught by surprise when the incident happened, pausing briefly during his call, then following up with 'that was interesting.' The deer bolted across the track right in front of Nockout and driver Robert Mcneight, who didn't look fazed by the encounter. The race went on as normal after that, with Joyridin Hd winning at odds of 25-1. This wasn't the first time deer had invaded The Meadows racetrack. On Nov. 28, 2011, there was a delay before the ninth race because three deer got onto the track. In 1989 two deer got involved in a race at Turfway Park during the fourth race on Friday the 13, when they crossed the track mid-race. The first got across unharmed; the second collided with leader Top Booking. The deer hobbled off the track, and Top Booking was unharmed. The jockey of Top Booking, Brian Peck, who was 18 years old at the time, was not so lucky. He sustained a compound fracture to his right forearm and was sidelined for two to three months. Peck went on to have a successful career, winning 1,213 races and earning $25,971,256. Advertisement Cincinnati Reds legend and Turfway Park regular, Pete Rose, who passed away late last year, had told a story on the Dan Le Batard Show about a bad beat at Turfway Park, where his horse was struck by a deer. That was the race he was referring to. This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Jul 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
The National
06-06-2025
- Business
- The National
Money & Me: ‘Seeing our business break even has been a milestone'
Sisters Chandini and Chanchal Guria came together to work on their passion for health and bootstrapped their business, Ekaya Wellness Studio, in Dubai last year. The yoga and Pilates instructors previously had separate careers, with Chandini, 34, employed as a journalist, while Chanchal, 30, was working in property management. The Indian siblings arrived in the UAE from Hong Kong in 1998, after their father moved to the country for work. Chanchal completed her bachelor's degree in finance accounting and management at the University of Nottingham, in the UK. Chandini went to the London College of Fashion, where she obtained her bachelor's degree in fashion design and development. But writing was her passion, so she joined Dubai Week as a journalist and also worked with insydo Dubai. After spending five to six years in the industry, she felt burnt out and decided to become an entrepreneur. The sisters started selling yoga mats and launched Meow Yoga, an e-commerce brand, as a side business. They currently live with their parents and brother in The Meadows, Dubai. Did wealth feature in your childhood? What did you learn from it? Chanchal: Wealth was a bit up and down. The reason we shifted from Hong Kong to Dubai was because my dad went out of business there, and he got a job here. Dubai wasn't so expensive back then, so we were on a saving curve. From a young age, our mother would tell us not to buy stuff – that put it in our heads that money is quite important and we're short on it. During the global financial crisis, our money was stuck in property. We saw some bad times. We had to move out of our house into a small apartment. And then, we rebounded. It taught us to know our limits, save when possible, but also enjoy it when you have the money. Don't spend on things you don't need. But there's nothing wrong indulging yourself once in a while. Chandini: Although we went through ups and downs, our father always tried to make sure all our needs were met, and it taught me the importance of hard work and a support system. What did your first job pay? Chandini: As a junior writer with Dubai Week, I earned Dh6,000 ($1,633) a month in 2015. Chanchal: In 2016, I interviewed with Nakheel and was hired as a property management co-ordinator on a starting salary of Dh9,500, and I worked there for nearly five years. Any early financial jolts? Chandini: When I quit my job, I didn't realise that living on your own savings and starting a business is expensive, so I ran out of money really quickly. How do you grow your wealth? Chandini: I'm still at a point where I need to save money before I focus on growing my wealth. My future plan is long-term investments, such as in properties and companies that I believe in. Chanchal: I don't have a lot of investments either. I have savings accounts. Investing in our wellness business was the first step in growing our wealth. We hope to see our income grow after a year and a half and then open up the next centre. Are you a spender or a saver? Chandini: Even though I'm a spender, I have no regrets because most of the things I pay for are about my well-being, such as massages, workouts and wellness activities. Chanchal: I'm the complete opposite. I love to save money, but I do feel like spending on yourself and for the right thing – it is important to splurge a little sometimes to have a good time. You have to enjoy what you earn. It's OK to go out and have nice dinners once in a while, but not to do it every single day. Have you been wise with money? Chandini: I'm pretty wise with money. It sounds a bit contradictory to my statement that I'm a huge spender, but I do it for the right reasons, and I have no regrets about what I spend on. So even though my savings aren't huge, I think I am wise with money. Chanchal: I like to always keep track of what I'm spending on in an Excel sheet, as I studied accounting and I'm obsessed with numbers. What has been your best investment? Chandini: It's nice having a business where you are supporting staff and the community. But my best investment is my Kindle. I can't even describe how much joy it brings. Chanchal: Definitely, our business Ekaya, considering the time and effort we put into it. It pays back in different ways. And we've already hit break even. Any cherished purchases? Chanchal: I just bought myself a new car, so I'm obsessed with that. It's the Range Rover Velar. Any financial advice for your younger self? Chandini: I grew up as a shy, quiet kid who never really stood up for herself. I would tell my younger self to not be scared to ask for what you deserve, whether it's a raise or a promotion. What luxuries are important to you? Chandini: The most important luxury to me is spending quality time with my family and friends. Chanchal: One of the biggest luxuries is finding time for yourself. I have started to find time to do things that make me happy, such as getting a massage once a week and scheduling time to play badminton. What are your financial goals? Chandini: My goal has always been to become financially independent. I want to be able to support and care for my family alone. Chanchal: My financial goal is to be independent. I would also like to see our business grow as much as possible. In one and a half years, I hope we're able to open a second location. Any key financial milestones?
