RIYADH: An area the size of 10 football pitches was cleared by Jeddah’s municipality after illegal construction was found on government land.
Monitoring teams found that construction work was ongoing without the correct legal documentation in part of the Al-Ajwad neighborhood, reported the Saudi Press Agency.
Mayor of Buraiman sub-municipality Fahd bin Sharaf Al-Malki said legal measures had been taken and violations removed from 74,050 sq. meters of land. He added the cases were submitted to the Real Estate General Authority.
The crackdown on illegal construction forms part of the authority’s ongoing efforts to address encroachment on government land, apply regulations and limit the exploitation of public lands.
The Jeddah municipality said it was continuing to carry out field monitoring tours to evaluate and address violations of construction regulations. It called for adherence to legal requirements and non-encroachment on government land, and for members of the public to report any suspected violations through the Balady application or by calling the unified reporting center on 940.
The Jeddah Central Project began in 2021 as part of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 reforms. It was introduced as a means of modernizing the city while at the same time preserving its rich historical identity.
As part of the project, widespread demolition of unsafe and illegal buildings was carried out around the city. In 2022, owners of demolished buildings began receiving compensation worth a total of SR1 billion. The state provided housing, meals and transportation for residents affected by the work.
Jeddah’s old town, Al-Balad, has also received extensive renovation work in recent years to bring the buildings up to modern safety standards.
