Abu Dhabi’s Urban Planning and Permits Centre approved 43.6 million square metres of gross floor area across projects and master plans in the first half of 2026.
Figures published on 28 September put the increase at 40% against the same period last year. The centre also issued 4,730 new building permits, up 0.9%.
Approved space is not completed supply
These measures describe different stages of development. Gross floor area is approved development capacity; a building permit is not a completed home. Neither figure can be treated as the number of units arriving on the rental market now.
For buyers examining future competition, the next step is to identify the projects near their intended purchase and check construction progress and delivery timing. The emirate-wide total is useful planning context, but it does not describe the supply position of every district.