Following on from the success of Nakheel's The Gardens, Discovery Gardens is a 26 million square foot development of six themed communities inspired by garden living.

Located in the new Dubai area between the Jebel Ali Free Zone and the city's booming business and entertainment district, Discovery Gardens aims to provide some of the best value accommodation in the rapidly expanding west of the emirate. Discovery Gardens also aims to provide new homes for nearly 60,000 residents who seek modern, spacious living at an accessible price in one of the city's most convenient locations.

The development provides easy access to Dubai's two main arterial roads: Sheikh Zayed Road and Emirates Road, and will also have convenient access to the Dubai Metro, which is scheduled to open its first line in 2009 and will have a station at Ibn Battuta Mall.

Discovery Gardens will be made up of 291 buildings with more than 26,000 spacious studios and one and two bedroom apartments. A significant proportion of the developments will be devoted to garden landscaping, with the buildings grouped into themes, reflecting the variety of garden living available at the development. The themes are Zen, Mediterranean, Contemporary, Cactus, Mogul, and Mesoamerican.

Once completed the project will offer a range of amenities including ample parking spaces, swimming pools, basketball courts, tennis courts, volleyball courts, mosques as well as jogging and cycling tracks. The development is also adjacent to Nakheel's Ibn Battuta Mall, offering residents more than 250 outlets and a range of facilities, from a 21 screen cinema megaplex to the UAE's inaugural Fitness First gym.

Discovery Gardens was launched in July 2004, with construction on the project beginning in the same year. At more than 6km long, and ranging over 26 million square feet, the project is being developed in phases, with the handover of the first buildings scheduled for handover in early 2008, and the majority of buildings to be completed throughout 2008. The final phase of Discovery Gardens, Cactus, is currently being masterplanned and will be launched within the next year.

Discovery Gardens: key facts
· Discovery Gardens was launched in 2004 with the majority of the 291 buildings to be handed over in 2008

· The development covers an area of 26 million square feet and stretches over 6 kilometres

· Discovery Gardens consists of 291 buildings collectively offering more than 26,000 residential units

· The expected population of the project is 50,000 - 60,000 residents

· Once completed the entire project will be home to: 13 swimming pools, 5 tennis courts, 10 basketball courts - converted from the tennis courts, 8 play grounds and 5 mosques

· The buildings are spread across the six themes with the following breakdown: Zen contains 37 buildings and offers 4,361 residential units, Mediterranean contains 69 buildings and offers 5,247 residential units, Mogul contains 56 buildings and offers 4,356 residential units, Contemporary (two packages) contains 57 buildings and offers 2,793 residential units, Mesoamerican contains 26 buildings and offers 2,046 residential units and Cactus is under masterplanning

· The project is being developed in phases, with the handover of the first buildings scheduled for early 2008, and the majority of buildings to be completed throughout 2008