TNN

DOHA

AUSTRALIAN construction firm Leighton Holdings said on Wednesday that its Middle East operation has received a $290 million contract for the construction of the first phase of the North Gate Mall and office buildings in Doha for the local developer.

Habtoor Leighton Group will begin construction immediately and work is expected to be complete in March 2014.

The project represents the first phase of the North Gate mixed-use development in a growing neighbourhood on one of Doha’s strategically important arterial roadways, Al Shamal Road (North Road), north of Doha’s West Bay central business district.

The North Gate Mall is positioned as a mid-to-premiumdevelopment with targeted luxury attracting leading fashion, home, dining, leisure and entertainment brands and outlets along with superior office accommodation.

Designed by Callison, the property comprises a number of unique spaces including the Crystal Garden, Market Street indoor/outdoor dining precinct, and Shamal Hall with its unique architectural features.

The development will be serviced by 4,000 underground car parks.

Phase one of the project covers an area of about 375,000 square meters, with a podium comprising two levels of car park, a three-level mall and six five-level office buildings, the company said.

HLG CEO and MD Laurie Voyer said the new project further illustrated the potential of the Qatar market for the Group.

“Qatar is a very important market for HLG,” he said.

“We’re seeing major opportunities across all our market sectors as the country continues its rapid development, and this is just one example of the type of work we are pursuing,” he said.

“We’re targeting a number of large-scale infrastructure and building projects in the country – such as the new Doha Metro and Lusail Expressway - and we see Qatar as one of our key markets going forward,” he said.

“We’ve developed a very strong reputation and presence in the Qatar construction market, and are one of the largest international construction groups in the country,” he said.

“We are ideally positioned to capitalise on Qatar’s desire to deliver its world-class transport and social infrastructure program,” he said.

Leighton has a 45 percent stake in Habtoor Leighton, which earlier this month formed a joint venture with the Dragados construction arm of Spain’s ACS Group to bid for rail project work in Qatar.