Development in Central Makkah
Masar Makkah is one of the better-known names associated with major urban development in central Makkah. However, it is not the only significant development reshaping the area around the Grand Mosque.
Another major project is the Al Hajlah Development Project, a separate mixed-use development led by ZOOD and located approximately 400 meters from the Grand Mosque. The project has a declared area of approximately 127,000 square meters and a stated project value of around SAR 8 billion. Its vision brings together residential, hospitality, commercial and service uses while responding to Makkah’s identity, movement patterns and wider urban fabric.
No. Al Hajlah and Masar Makkah are separate developments.
Official information identifies Masar Makkah as a distinct destination owned and developed by Umm Al Qura for Development and Construction, while the Al Hajlah Development Project has its own identity, development structure and principal developer.
For this reason, “Masar Makkah” should not be used as another name for Al Hajlah. Instead, Masar can serve as a familiar reference point for readers researching major development in central Makkah before introducing Al Hajlah as another distinct project they may want to understand.
The Al Hajlah Development Project is a planned mixed-use urban development in the Al Hajlah area of Makkah. ZOOD is identified as the principal developer within a strategic national alliance.
The project aims to renew a historic location near the Grand Mosque while balancing Makkah’s identity with the requirements of contemporary urban life. Its proposed mix of residential, hospitality, commercial and service uses is intended to create a connected urban destination rather than a collection of isolated real estate components.
The Al Hajlah Development Project is located within the central urban area of Makkah, approximately 400 meters from the Grand Mosque.
Its position places it within an important part of the city, where development must respond not only to proximity to Al-Masjid al-Haram but also to movement, surrounding streets, major destinations and the broader urban network of central Makkah.
The project is positioned within the wider central Makkah context, with important surrounding landmarks and connections including:
These landmarks help explain the project’s relationship with central Makkah. Any travel times or additional distances should only be stated when formally confirmed.
The importance of Al Hajlah extends beyond its location. Its vision brings together several elements intended to shape how the development connects with Makkah and how residents and visitors experience the area.
At approximately 400 meters from the Grand Mosque, the project occupies a highly significant urban position.
This proximity creates opportunities for stronger connections with central Makkah, while also increasing the importance of careful planning around access, movement, safety and visitor experience.
The development vision combines residential, hospitality, commercial and service uses within one destination.
This mix is designed to create a more integrated environment that can support different patterns of activity and provide complementary functions for residents and visitors.
The project places the identity and character of Makkah at the center of its development approach.
Rather than treating heritage simply as a visual theme, the vision aims to allow the history, cultural significance and urban memory of the location to influence the planning and introduction of new uses.
Movement is a major consideration in central Makkah.
The project vision places emphasis on connected routes and clearer flow, recognizing that the experience of a destination depends on how easily residents, workers and visitors can arrive, move through the development and connect with surrounding landmarks.
Al Hajlah is envisioned as part of the wider urban fabric rather than as a self-contained development.
The project aims to strengthen connections with the Grand Mosque, neighboring districts and the principal road network, supporting a more coherent relationship between the development and the city around it.
The project is being developed through a strategic alliance intended to bring together development expertise, financial capability and technical knowledge.
ZOOD is identified as the principal developer, while Jadwa Investment appears as the financial partner in the approved project material.
The development vision can be understood through several connected ideas that bring together Makkah’s identity, movement, mixed uses and the experience of residents and visitors.
The project seeks to preserve the spirit and character of the location while introducing contemporary development in a way that respects Makkah’s identity.
One of the project’s central ideas is to strengthen connections between the development, the Grand Mosque and surrounding parts of central Makkah.
Clearer movement and access are intended to help the project function as part of the city rather than as an isolated destination.
Residential, hospitality, commercial and service functions are planned as interconnected parts of the development.
This approach aims to support a destination that can respond to different users and patterns of activity throughout the day.
The project gives priority to safer, clearer and more connected routes.
This is particularly important in Makkah, where residents, workers and visitors may move through the same urban spaces in different ways and at different times.
The project material presents investment as a tool for supporting the economic and urban development of the location.
This is a strategic development objective rather than a guarantee of investment returns or financial performance.
The approach begins with the idea that Makkah’s identity should influence development from the beginning rather than being added as a decorative element after the design is complete.
The project vision focuses on respecting the urban memory of the location, introducing new uses in a balanced way and placing human experience at the center of planning. Together, these principles aim to create an environment relevant to residents, visitors and people working within the area.
The Al Hajlah Development Project addresses a location close to one of the world's most significant religious and urban centers.
Its relevance comes from the way its declared vision connects location, identity, movement and mixed uses. The project aims to:
ZOOD is identified as the principal developer within the announced strategic alliance.
The project reflects ZOOD’s approach as an integrated lifecycle developer by connecting development with considerations such as place identity, complementary uses, ease of movement and the experience of residents and visitors.
Detailed operational responsibilities or commercial commitments should only be stated when they have been formally approved and published.
No. Masar Makkah and the Al Hajlah Development Project are separate developments with different project identities, owners and developers.
It is a planned mixed-use urban development in central Makkah combining residential, hospitality, commercial and service uses while seeking to preserve the identity of the location and improve its connections with the wider city.
The development is located in the Al Hajlah area of central Makkah, close to the Grand Mosque.
Approved project material states that the site is approximately 400 meters from the Grand Mosque.
The development has a declared area of approximately 127,000 square meters and a stated project value of around SAR 8 billion.
The declared vision includes proximity to the Grand Mosque, mixed uses, preservation of Makkah’s identity, improved movement, integration with the central urban fabric and development through a strategic alliance.
No. Masar Makkah should not be used as an alternative project name. It is a separate development. The term can, however, help readers searching for development in central Makkah discover and understand other major projects such as Al Hajlah.
For readers researching Masar Makkah and other major developments in central Makkah, the Al Hajlah Development Project represents another significant development to follow.
Explore ZOOD News & Insights for the latest approved information about Al Hajlah, or contact the ZOOD team for further enquiries.
