40% say race to build tallest tower is 'inappropriate'

The race to build the new world's tallest tower has split opinion among Arabian Business readers, the results of an online poll reveals.

Within days of each other, Dubai-based developer Nakheel and Saudi-based Kingdom Holding Co announced projects to build one kilometre high towers to trump Emaar's Burj Dubai, which is due for completion next year.

But while 40 percent of people who took part in our poll backed the schemes and applauded the vision of the developers, another 60 percent were opposed.

Of the 60 percent, 40 percent of respondents in our poll branded the plans as "inappropriate". Readers thought that it was wrong to showcase such extravagant projects at a time when some world economies were on the brink of recession.

A further 20 percent thought the plans were pie in the sky and they raised doubts that the development project would actually be completed.

Nakheel is poised to build a tower that will be more than one kilometre high, as part of a $38.12 billion project that will include the world’s first inner city harbour.

The development, located at the intersection of Sheikh Zayed Road and the $11 billion Arabian Canal currently under construction, will cover an area of more than 270 hectares and eventually house more than 55,000 people.

Nakheel said the project will take more than 10 years to complete, but with some stages coming on line much earlier.

Kingdom Holding Co said the Kingdom Tower project would stand more than a kilometre high and, along with Kingdom City, would cover 7.1 square kilometres in the Red Sea city of Jeddah.

The built-up area will include multi-purpose facilities including residential, entertainment, retail and hotels.

Kingdom City is expected to house 80,000 residents and accommodate 250,000 visitors.

Both sets of blueprints were hailed as "fantastic" by 22 percent of respondents who believed the vision of local developers would ensure the Gulf region remained prominent on the world map.

Another 18 percent said the projects were a good idea because of the thousands of new jobs they would create in the region.

Emaar's Burj Dubai, currently the tallest man made structure in the world at more than 630 metres, is expected to be up to 900 metres tall upon completion in early 2009.

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