Saudi gigaproject developer Roshn Group has received proposals from lead design consultants for its planned flagship development in north Riyadh.

Consultants submitted proposals on 1 November for detailed design, tender documentation and construction documents for the project’s first plot.

The planned development covers 13.7 square kilometres and will be a residential-led mixed-use scheme containing retail, office, hospitality, education and civic facilities.

The consultancy scope for plot one includes infrastructure, utilities, public-realm works and the site adaptation of Roshn’s residential prototypes. It has been divided into two work packages.

The first package covers phases A, B and E, which cover about 7.8 million square metres (sq m) and will include 17,000 units.

The second package covers phases C and D, covering about 4.7 million sq m and with more than 15,000 units.

The site is bordered by the Expo 2030 site, King Abdulaziz Park, the Sports Innovation Lab Zone and National Housing Company’s Khozam development.

Transport connectivity is a key element of the masterplan. Two metro stations are planned, including a station at the interchange between the existing Line 4 and planned Line 7, and a dedicated Line 7 station. The development could also be served by the planned Qiddiya high-speed rail link and a potential diversion of King Salman Road.

The scheme will add to Roshn’s existing development pipeline in Riyadh, which includes the multi-phase Sedra community. The developer is expanding its focus from single-family housing to larger mixed-use districts under its Roshn 3.0 strategy.

Last month, Roshn signed a preliminary agreement with TMG Saudi, the local subsidiary of Egypt’s Talaat Moustafa Group, to establish a joint venture to explore a separate mixed-use project in Riyadh.

TMG Saudi will hold a 51% stake in the proposed joint venture and Roshn will hold the remaining 49%. The companies said they will undertake detailed masterplanning and prepare a business case for the project, which preliminary studies indicate could include more than 55,000 residential units.