The Ministry of Housing and Urban Communities recently modified the layout of 922 acres of land in the green belt district of 6th of October City set to be developed by the Wadi El Nile Company for Agricultural Development. The ministry stipulated that the project would need to be completed by 21 November 2014, two years to the day since Egypt's cabinet first sanctioned the project Housing Minister Tariq Wafiq recently ruled that the Wadi El Nile Company will pay the difference for an additional 25 acres of land added to the project in 2007. Initially, the project was to be constructed on 897 acres, but this number was later increased to 922 acres at a cost of EGP 92,000. The ministry stipulated that the company construct a triple treatment system for sewage water generated by all newly constructed buildings, to be located at least 650 metres away from all other residential units. All water used for the project would need to be absorbed, treated and contained within specially designated zones, outside the vicinity of the city's green belt. Around 1.7 million square metres of land, or 44% of all land included in the project, would be set aside for housing, while an additional 462,000 square metres, or 12% of the land, would be set aside for various service projects. 105,000 square metres of land would also be set aside for the construction of roads leading both in and out of the real estate area, with an additional 949,000 square metres designated for roads located within the area. Land allotted for green zones and pedestrian areas would total 642,000 metres of land, while an additional 4,650 metres would be set aside for the construction of public utilities. The project would include high density housing with 19 residents per acre. The total territory would be split up between 2,687 individual plots of land, to be set aside for the construction of villas and townhouses. 16 different housing models will also be used to construct a total of 3,956 units. Service centre regions included in the territory would be split up between six separate zones, the first of which would be reserved for commercial services. This zone would include four plots of land, each sized between one and 10 acres, with buildings restricted to two stories. The second zone would be used for commercial and residential purposes and would include six individual plots of land each between two and 21 acres of land. Each building constructed in the zone would be no more than three stories high, with all buildings taking up no more than 30% of the plot's total surface area. The fourth zone would be set aside for medical services, while the fifth zone would be reserved for the construction of a sports club over 14 acres of land. The Housing Ministry also stipulated that the Wadi El Nile Company would bear the cost of all primary utilities and infrastructure. The company would also be responsible for the cost of installing and maintaining a sewage water system, electricity grid in addition to telephone and gas lines, all to be implemented based on engineering blueprints drawn up by the ministry. The company will also be charged with paying the cost of repair for all internal facilities until they are turned over to civil authorities.
