Dubai Municipality has unveiled a new planning standard for early childhood centres, permitting the addition of a first floor exclusively for administrative and service functions, with a building coverage ratio of up to 45%.
The move is part of the emirate’s wider effort to strengthen its urban planning framework in line with the Dubai Urban Master Plan 2040 and enhance the quality of educational infrastructure for future generations.
The updated regulation outlines clear parameters for parking and land use, requiring one parking space per classroom, one for every 50 square metres of office area, and one dedicated bus space for every three classrooms. Buildings must also maintain a minimum setback of three metres on all sides.
Developed in collaboration with the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) and the Knowledge Fund, the new standard follows an extensive planning study assessing the needs of Dubai’s early education sector. It addresses increasing demand from investors and operators seeking to optimise land use, boost capacity, and improve service levels without additional financial strain.
His Excellency Eng. Nasser BuShehab, CEO of the Planning and Governance Sector at Dubai Municipality, said the new standard was created to enhance services in line with Executive Council Resolution No. (35) of 2020 regulating early childhood centres in Dubai.
Eng. Sanaa Al Alili, Director of the Urban Planning Department, added that the standard improves flexibility, increases capacity, and supports Dubai’s vision to nurture future generations while raising urban quality of life.
Dubai Municipality’s latest initiative reflects its ongoing commitment to sustainable and inclusive urban planning that aligns educational development with the emirate’s broader goals for liveability and economic growth.
News Source: Dubai Media Office
