UNESCO Status Blocks Karbabad Coast Plan

TDT | Manama

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Plans to develop the Karbabad coast beside the Qal'at Al Bahrain Site Museum have been put on hold because the historic site is protected under UNESCO’s World Heritage status.

The issue was discussed during the Capital Municipal Council’s second session, chaired by Eng. Saleh Taher Tarradah. The council had unanimously approved the coastal development proposal in June, including landscaping, seating areas and solar-powered lighting on a government-owned plot beside the fort.

However, the Urban Planning and Development Authority said the plot could not be registered for the project after specialists reviewed the site and the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities raised concerns over protecting the fort’s historic and visual relationship with the coastline. The authority has requested that alternative locations be considered.

The council also backed a proposed framework to identify and address abandoned buildings across the Capital Governorate. The plan would create a digital register, classify properties according to risk and set measures ranging from monitoring and repair notices to urgent evacuation or demolition where legally permitted. No demolition would proceed until heritage value is assessed.

Meanwhile, the council supported retaining part of the Sanabis Youth Empowerment Centre’s eastern section, which has occupied the site for more than 50 years. It said removing the section during area redevelopment could cause structural damage and significant financial losses.

In Sitra, the council recommended acquiring three vacant plots in Block 606 to provide parking for nearby mosques, cemeteries and religious facilities. The council also reviewed six zoning-change requests covering properties in Tubli, Sitra, Zinj, Qalaa, Qudaibiya and Nabih Saleh, and received an update on the Bahrain Marina project.