Thursday, July 23, 2026

Al Jazeera – Economy:

The Ministry of Municipalities and Housing revealed that the total area of white land included in development and trading in the Madinah region reached about 19 million square meters, an indicator reflecting the growing impact of the white land and vacant property fee system in stimulating urban development and improving land use efficiency within urban boundaries, in line with the urban growth the region is witnessing.

The ministry explained that the registered areas included 12 million square meters of land that have been fully developed, two million square meters of white land that entered trading, in addition to five million square meters of land still under development, thereby enhancing the utilization of underutilized land and supporting the increase of urban and residential supply in the Madinah region.

It indicated that revenues from white land fees contributed to supporting nine development and housing projects in the Madinah region, enhancing infrastructure efficiency and municipal services, and supporting the implementation of quality projects that improve quality of life and meet the needs of population and urban growth in the region.

The ministry affirmed that these results are an extension of ongoing efforts to achieve the objectives of regulating the real estate market and stimulating development within cities, contributing to enhancing the balance between supply and demand, improving land investment efficiency, and increasing the supply of urban and residential products.

It pointed out that the white land and vacant property fee program continues its role in stimulating development by applying fees on lands within the legally specified geographical boundaries, along with granting statutory grace periods to serious obligors who wish to develop their lands according to specific technical controls, thereby accelerating the pace of development and transforming white lands into effective urban projects and products that support economic and urban growth.

It added that the Real Estate Developers Services Center “Itmam” continues to support white land owners through an integrated digital system comprising more than 35 services covering various stages of development, providing clear and streamlined pathways to obtain licenses, approvals, and coordination with relevant authorities, thereby accelerating project implementation and improving the efficiency of land development within urban boundaries.

The results of the Madinah region come as an extension of what the program has achieved in several regions of the Kingdom, as the ministry previously announced that about 71 million square meters of white land in the Riyadh region entered development or trading, including 29 million square meters developed, 20 million square meters entered trading, and 21 million square meters under development, in addition to supporting 27 projects from fee revenues.

In the Eastern Region, the total reached about 146 million square meters, including 49 million square meters developed, 61 million square meters entered trading, and 36 million square meters under development, with support for 16 development and urban projects.

In the Makkah region, the total reached about 28 million square meters, including 13 million square meters developed, 9 million square meters entered trading, and 5 million square meters under development, in addition to supporting 14 development and housing projects, as part of efforts to improve land use efficiency, stimulate urban development, and increase real estate and residential supply across various regions.

The ministry stressed that the integration between fee application and enabling owners to benefit from development services contributes to enhancing sustainable urban development, improving land investment efficiency, and achieving the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 aimed at building more organized and sustainable cities.

Saudi Economy

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