The New El Alamein project is characterised by a unique location, as the government pays great attention to the project's development and its infrastructure. The New El Alamein City project is one of the “fourth generation” of new cities that Egypt is building. Its infrastructure will be eco-oriented. It will stretch over an area of 48,000 feddans and will absorb a population of 3 million. It is located in the administrative borders of Marsa Matrouh governorate, 48 km from the Alexandria-Matrouh international road, acrossT the borders of El Alamein City starting from Wadi Al Natroun Road to Dabaa. The city is similar to the New Administrative Capital in the huge international projects that will be built on the best touristic cities in Egypt. It includes international shopping centres and residential and tourist towers. The New El Alamein City project is an opportunity to overcome the population congestion in Cairo by taking advantage of the North Coast as a residential destination, as well as attracting tourists throughout the year. The project will include 10,000 housing units, besides a hotel district, city centre, distinguished residential district, conference centre, Hadyek El Alamein district, Marsa El Fanara, entertainment area, resorts, cultural centre, tourist housing, and exhibition fair. Furthermore, the city will have an archaeological area consisting of an open museum, international park, recreational area, hotels, and port services, in addition to a mosque, opera, clubs, and shopping malls. Meanwhile, it will cover an urban sector consisting of a university and regional service centre, as well as a world tourism centre with a 20% construction rate. The residential part of the city includes apartments for sale, divided between social and distinguished housing, with 5,000 units in the first phase. Social housing units' size is 87 sqm, equipped with the highest level, while distinguished housing units' size is 95 sqm. In addition, 15,500 hotel rooms will be provided on 296 feddans. The New El Alamein City Authority has announced offering 500 fully finished residential units in a distinguished housing project, but it did not specify what their prices will be, meanwhile, their sizes ranging between 90-100 sqm. The authority said that completing the infrastructure of the distinguished housing project will be before the end of the year. For his part, Moataz Mahmoud, head of parliament's housing committee, said there are four universities that will be established in New El Alamein to turn the city into primary home. Nevertheless, the city will include not only residential and tourist activities, but also industrial. In late May, the government, represented by the New Urban Communities Authority (NUCA), signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with CGCOC Group (Chinese construction engineering company) to establish the first industrial zone in El Alamein. The establishment marks the beginning of the founding of the new city of El Alamein as the new commercial and administrative capital of Egypt's North Coast. Prime minister and acting minister of housing, Mostafa Madbouly, stressed that the ministry aims to provide multiple activities and different services in El Alamein. Madbouly also said that the MoU was signed with the CGCOC Group due to its vast experience, adding that the board of directors of the NUCA agreed to provide the land in the new industrial zone in El Alamein to investors with various facilities. Moreover, he noted that El Alamein is expected to depend on renewable energy and desalination projects. Regarding initiation of tourism projects, in mid-July, Egypt's historic El Alamein Hotel officially reopened after a major facelift by Emaar Hospitality Group, which will be among the finest resorts along the Mediterranean. The opening event was attended by the Minister of Tourism Rania Al-Mashat, VIP guests, and other public figures. Situated in the picturesque setting of Sidi Abdel Rahman Bay, the hotel's glamorous design ethos and refurbished retro-modern interiors hark back to the glory days of the 1960s, when the resort first opened. Al-Mashat said that the North Coast region has the potential to be a global tourist area that will attract tourists from all over the world throughout the year and not only in the summer months. President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi said that El Alamein is a unique geographical and historical mix that deserves all attention through the establishment of the new city to provide a model for the importance of peace, construction and reconstruction, and the need to defeat past pain with the hopes of the future. Al-Mashat stressed the importance of the new city and said, "it would be a residential tourist-integrated city. In addition, it is easy to access the city by road and through three airports: Borg El Arab, El Alamain, and Marsa Matrouh." "The establishment of New Alamein City and its components fall within the government's plan to develop the area over the past few years," said Mohamed El Alfy, chairperson of City Edge Developments, as he went on to explain, "that the plan is expected to cause a change in our perception of the North Coast—from being a seasonal spot to a year round, vibrant destination. Being one of Egypt's fourth-generation cities, New El Alamein represents an integrated urban community that is efficient and self-sustainable. Spread over more than 48,000 feddans, the first phase takes up a total of 8,000 feddans and comprises two main components: the coastline area, which includes the International Tourism Centre, and the archaeological district." "One of the biggest projects being built in the city is the North Edge Towers project. The project represents the first residential project in the city of New El Alamein. Its contemporary design combines modern architecture and the application of durable materials that resist damage from natural causes," said Yasser Al Beltagy, president of Yasser Al Beltagy Architects, the company behind the design of North Edge Towers. He also explained, "the distinctive design provides stunning turquoise sea views, as well as green-area exposure from all directions, thanks to the air pressure-resistant, aluminium profiles and insulated glazing windows installed in order to enable unobscured views. Moreover, concrete works of North Edge Towers exhibit glass-fibre reinforced concrete (GRC), which is highly flexible, durable, air-resistant, and requires minimal maintenance. North Edge Towers sets a standard for what fourth-generation buildings should really offer in architectural and construction detail, as their design provides an ultra-modern lifestyle to all residents."
