Arjan

Arjan is a Dubailand community at the junction of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road and Umm Suqeim Road, with Al Barsha South to the north and Motor City across the highway to the south. Dubai Properties laid out the master plan in the mid-2000s, and private developers have since built most of the residential buildings on individual plots.

It is best known as the home of Dubai Miracle Garden and Dubai Butterfly Garden, and more recently for the number of apartment buildings completed over the last few years. Most are mid-rise blocks with pools and gyms, and new projects keep launching, so the area is a patchwork of finished streets, active building sites and empty plots.

Arjan's appeal is newer apartments at mid-market prices, with Al Barsha, Dubai Hills and Mall of the Emirates a short drive away. The trade-offs are the ongoing construction, the lack of a metro, and a neighbourhood still building up its shops, cafés and green spaces. Quality varies a lot between developers, so the choice of building matters more than in established areas.

• 01

  Miracle Garden next door

  Dubai Miracle Garden and Dubai Butterfly Garden are inside Arjan. The Miracle Garden opens each winter season and draws large crowds, especially at weekends.

• 02

  Hospital on the doorstep

  Mediclinic Parkview Hospital, a full private hospital, is on Umm Suqeim Road at the edge of Arjan, next to the Miracle Garden.

• 03

  Central Dubailand location

  Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road and Umm Suqeim Road give quick routes to Al Barsha, Dubai Hills, Motor City and Sheikh Zayed Road.

• 04

  Newer apartment buildings

  Much of the stock is only a few years old, so buyers and tenants can find modern layouts and building facilities such as pools, gyms and covered parking.

Arjan is a practical place to live rather than a destination in itself. Daily needs are covered by neighbourhood supermarkets, pharmacies and clinics on the ground floors of residential buildings, and a growing number of cafés and casual restaurants. Vincitore Boulevard has a small retail and dining promenade. For a bigger shop, residents drive to Dubai Hills Mall, Mall of the Emirates, My City Centre Al Barsha or Circle Mall in Jumeirah Village Circle.

In season, the Miracle Garden and Butterfly Garden are a short walk or drive away, and the Dubai Autodrome and karting tracks in Motor City are close. Green space within Arjan is limited for now, so families often use Dubai Hills Park or the parks in neighbouring communities.

There is no metro station in Arjan, and most residents drive or use taxis. Mall of the Emirates station on the Red Line is about 15 minutes away by car, and RTA buses run along the main roads. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road (E311) and Umm Suqeim Road both run along Arjan's edges, and Al Khail Road is a few minutes away. Umm Suqeim Road slows down at peak times, and traffic around the Miracle Garden builds up on winter weekends.

There are no major schools inside Arjan itself, but several are close. Safa Community School is on Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road in Al Barsha South, a couple of minutes away, and Nord Anglia International School Dubai is also in Al Barsha South, a short drive further. There are nurseries nearby, including in Dubai Science Park and Jumeirah Village Circle. For healthcare, Mediclinic Parkview Hospital is on Umm Suqeim Road, and there are several clinics and pharmacies within the community.

Arjan is mainly apartments, from studios and one-bedroom units to some three-bedroom homes, in mid-rise buildings by a long list of private developers. There are a few villa projects, but they are the exception. Buildings range from those completed in the 2010s to brand-new handovers and off-plan projects still under construction.

Investors make up a large share of buyers, attracted by the newer stock and by tenant demand from people working in Al Barsha, Dubai Hills and Dubailand. Tenants are mainly young professionals and couples. Because supply is still growing, research the developer's track record, compare service charges and finishing quality between buildings, and check what is planned on neighbouring plots, since an open view today may face a new building in a few years.