Muscat: A study by Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) has identified the key reasons why many government-granted residential plots in Oman remain undeveloped for years, highlighting the implications for sustainable urban growth and future planning policies.
Conducted by a research team that included Dr Aliya bint Abdulsattar al Hashim from the College of Engineering, the study examines one of the country's most pressing urban development challenges: why residential land allocated to citizens often remains vacant, and what this means for the long-term sustainability and efficiency of Oman's expanding cities.
The research underscores the significance of the issue in relation to citizens' right to housing and the effectiveness of the country's lottery-based land allocation system. Between 2001 and 2020, approximately 613,552 residential plots were distributed across Oman. In Muscat Governorate alone, 17,412 plots were allocated over a ten-year period. Of these, 32 per cent were sold, only 19 per cent were developed, while around half remained vacant.
Seeking to understand this pattern, the researchers explored the factors influencing citizens' decisions to build, the barriers preventing development, the reasons behind selling allocated land and public perceptions of what constitutes an ideal neighbourhood.
The study adopted a qualitative research approach based on focus group discussions within a social constructivist framework. The discussions were conducted at the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning (MoHUP) in August 2022 and involved 44 participants divided into four groups: citizens who had built on their allocated plots, those who had not yet built, individuals still awaiting land allocation and those who had sold their allocated plots. The findings were then analysed thematically to identify the principal trends and influencing factors.
The results revealed that the strongest determinant of whether citizens decide to build is not the availability of infrastructure and services, but their actual need for housing. Financial capability emerged as the second most important factor, followed by the location of the plot, the availability of services and finally the overall quality of the neighbourhood.
The research also found that many citizens postpone construction while they remain comfortably accommodated elsewhere, even when they already own serviced residential land. Financial constraints, remote locations and inadequate infrastructure were identified as the principal reasons for leaving plots undeveloped or selling them.
Based on these findings, the researchers recommend redesigning Oman’s residential land allocation policy to better support sustainable urban development. They propose prioritising applicants with genuine housing needs, ensuring essential infrastructure and services are provided at the time of land allocation rather than afterwards, establishing monitoring mechanisms to encourage timely development, and expanding community participation in urban planning. Such measures, the study concludes, would help create vibrant, liveable neighbourhoods instead of large areas of undeveloped residential land.
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