DUBAI-BASED master developer Nakheel has said International City Phase Three is not on hold, but is “live” and a number of developers have started work on their projects.

“The ongoing work at International City Phase Three is for the completion of community services and facilities such as roads and streetlighting. The project is already live and a number of developers have commenced work on their individual projects,” a company spokesperson was quoted as saying by Dubai’s Emirates 24/7 online news website.

In August 2006, Nakheel had awarded the Dh250-million ($68 million) infrastructure contract for Phase Three of the project to GMT consortium, an Iranian joint venture of General Mechanic, Melli Sakhteman and Tossar International Construction.

And in June this year, the company issued a tender for the design, procurement, construction, testing and commissioning of the International City Phase Three’s sewer network connection to the nearest Dubai Municipality network.

Meanwhile, in March, Nakheel commenced handover of 1,663 units in International City’s Emirati Cluster, which comprises 26 buildings.

The first phase of International City has been designed to comprise a high-density development with five precincts: a residential district, central business district, Dragon Mart complex, lake district, and the Forbidden City.

All 387 buildings – containing over 22,000 residential apartments and 5,000 retail outlets – in the residential district have been completed and handed over with Nakheel retaining ownership of 111 of them.

The central business district, which comprises 30 plots developed by private developers, is also complete.

The plots have been developed into 11-storey residential buildings with retail outlets on the ground floor and basement car-parking.