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The Central Downtown by Aqua Developments in Arjan, shown in a genuine aerial project render with four residential towers and landscaped amenity decks.
DubaiDeveloper Spotlights

Aqua Developments Dubai: Off-Plan Projects and Track Record

written by The Projectory TeamPublished 10 min read

Aqua Developments review covering completed projects, current Dubai launches, live prices, payment plans, handovers and which buyers each project suits.

See all Aqua Developments off-plan projects.

What’s in this guide:

Aqua Developments is the development arm of AQUA Properties, a Dubai property company established in 2005. It builds amenity-rich apartment communities, with current homes ranging from studios to three-bedroom apartments and terrace penthouses. Buyers can find options in Arjan, Dubai Sports City and Motor City, including homes starting below AED 1 million.

For a wider comparison, read our guide to the UAE’s leading off-plan developers.

Aqua Developments at a glance

  • AQUA Properties established: 2005
  • Development division established: 2010
  • Founder and chairman: Ali Tumbi
  • Completed projects: J5, J8, O Ten, The Community JVT and Tumbi Hotel
  • Current projects: The Central Downtown, The Community Sports Arena and The Community Motor City
  • Main locations: Arjan, Dubai Sports City and Motor City
  • Property types: Studios to three-bedroom apartments and terrace penthouses

Who is Aqua Developments?

AQUA Properties was founded in Dubai in 2005 by Ali Tumbi. The group moved into development in 2010 through AQUA Real Estate Development, which now sits alongside its brokerage, property management and hospitality activities.

The company is best known for amenity-rich apartment developments. Its Community brand combines homes with coworking, fitness and social spaces, while The Central Downtown brings residences, retail and leisure together in a much larger mixed-use project.

Aqua Developments’ completed projects

Aqua has completed five developments in Dubai, covering conventional apartments, furnished residences, co-living and hospitality.

Completed project Area What Aqua delivered
J5 Al Sufouh 48 one- to three-bedroom apartments
J8 Al Sufouh One- to three-bedroom apartments
O Ten Dubai Healthcare City Furnished studios to two-bedroom apartments
The Community JVT Jumeirah Village Triangle Hotel apartments in Aqua’s co-living format; completed in 2023
Tumbi Hotel Palm Jumeirah 180 hotel keys

When viewing a completed building, spend time in the lobby, corridors and shared facilities as well as the apartment. The upkeep of those areas gives you a good sense of the developer’s finishes and the way the building is managed after handover.

Current Aqua Developments projects and prices

Aqua has three current developments in Dubai:

Project Homes and location Starting price and timing
The Central Downtown Arjan; studios to three-bedroom apartments and terrace penthouses From AED 599,888; Q2 2028 target
The Community Sports Arena Dubai Sports City; studios to three-bedroom apartments From AED 690,000; Q4 2027 target
The Community Motor City Motor City; studios to three-bedroom apartments From AED 529,000; limited availability

The Central Downtown

The Central Downtown contains 1,200 apartments across four towers on a seven-acre site. The homes include studios and one-, two- and three-bedroom layouts, with terrace penthouses and private outdoor space at the top of the range.

The residences sit above a shopping mall and more than 200,000 sq ft of integrated amenities. Plans include a wave pool, padel court, mini golf, outdoor cinema, jogging track, gym, coworking facilities, daycare, dog park and landscaped gardens.

Current floor plans include 489 sq ft studios, 1,020 sq ft one-bedroom apartments, 1,123 sq ft two-bedroom homes and three-bedroom layouts of 2,224 sq ft. Terrace penthouses provide another option for buyers who want larger private outdoor areas.

Central Downtown suits buyers who want plenty to do close to home. The retail podium should make everyday shopping and dining convenient, while the amenity decks create a more resort-style environment than a typical standalone apartment building.

The Community Sports Arena

The Community Sports Arena is a 396-home tower in Dubai Sports City. Apartments run from studios to three bedrooms, and selected two- and three-bedroom layouts include a home office.

The Community Sports Arena by Aqua Developments, showing its rooftop pool, terraces and curved apartment balconies.

The rooftop pool, indoor and outdoor fitness areas, coworking space and sky garden give the building a social, active character. The design works particularly well for residents who want to exercise, work and relax within the development.

Prices at Sports Arena start from AED 690,000. Studios and one-bedroom apartments suit first-time buyers and investors, while the larger home-office layouts give couples and families more usable space.

The Community Motor City

The Community Motor City brings Aqua’s co-living and coworking format to Motor City. Studios through to three-bedroom apartments sit alongside about 22,000 sq ft of shared facilities.

The Community Motor City by Aqua Developments, with apartments arranged above a broad retail frontage.

Residents will have workspaces, an infinity pool, a gym, jogging track, padel and badminton courts, an open-air golf simulator, restaurants, cafés and shops within the development. The long retail frontage connects the building with the wider neighbourhood.

Homes currently start from AED 529,000, with limited availability across the released selection.

Buyers working below AED 1 million can compare Aqua’s apartments with the wider market in our guide to off-plan property under AED 1 million in Dubai.

What does Aqua build?

Aqua mainly builds apartments with extensive shared facilities. Coworking areas, fitness spaces, social lounges and landscaped amenity decks feature across its current collection. The Central Downtown adds a larger retail and leisure podium, while selected Sports Arena layouts include home offices and Central Downtown offers terrace penthouses.

The facilities form a large part of Aqua’s appeal. When comparing units, include the expected service charge in your budget and focus on the amenities you expect to use regularly.

Where is Aqua developing in Dubai?

Arjan

Arjan is home to The Central Downtown. It is an apartment-led community beside Dubai Miracle Garden, with road access towards Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road and Umm Suqeim Street.

The area has supermarkets, schools, medical services and a growing choice of restaurants. Buyers choose Arjan for newer apartments at prices below many central Dubai neighbourhoods, with established communities such as Motor City and Dubai Hills Estate nearby.

Dubai Sports City

Dubai Sports City has an established apartment market, sports facilities and road access towards Hessa Street and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road. It is home to Dubai International Cricket Stadium and the ICC Academy, alongside schools, shops, cafés and fitness facilities.

Motor City

Motor City is the most established of Aqua’s three current locations. Its supermarkets, restaurants, schools, clinics and green streets already support a strong residential community.

How Aqua payment plans affect your cash flow

The Community Sports Arena uses a 10/60/30 payment plan: 10% at booking, 60% during construction and 30% on handover.

On a home priced at AED 1 million, the payments would be:

Stage Percentage Amount
Booking 10% AED 100,000
During construction 60% AED 600,000
Handover 30% AED 300,000

The construction portion is divided into dated instalments. Mapping those payments against your income and savings will show how comfortable the plan feels month by month.

DLD registration, mortgage costs, furnishing, service charges and other purchase expenses sit outside the AED 1 million price in this example. A mortgage may cover part of the 30% handover balance if the project, property and buyer meet the bank’s requirements at that point.

Payment plans can vary by project and unit. Use the full dated schedule in your reservation documents when planning your cash flow.

Which Aqua project could suit you?

Your priority Project to compare first Why it may fit
Lowest listed starting price The Community Motor City From AED 529,000 in an established neighbourhood
Large amenity-led development The Central Downtown Retail, leisure and four-tower scale in Arjan
New launch with a later handover The Community Sports Arena From AED 690,000 with a Q4 2027 target

If you plan to live in the property, spend time in all three areas. Sports City feels active and apartment-led, Arjan is growing around family attractions and newer buildings, and Motor City has the most mature day-to-day environment. Your commute and preferred lifestyle should make the strongest option clear.

What to check before buying

  1. Project registration and escrow. Confirm the project in the DLD system and make payments to the project-specific account stated in the sale documents.
  2. The exact unit. Check internal area, balcony, view, floor, parking, storage and whether furniture is included.
  3. The payment schedule. Convert every percentage into a dirham amount and calendar date.
  4. Construction and handover. Review the latest progress update and the completion date written into the SPA.
  5. Service charges. Ask for the current estimate and what it covers, especially in developments with extensive facilities.
  6. Management and letting rules. Co-living and furnished projects can operate differently from a conventional apartment building.
  7. Resale conditions. Read the developer’s assignment requirements, minimum amount paid and administration charges.

Our guide to RERA and escrow protection for Dubai off-plan buyers explains the main checks in plain English.

Frequently asked questions

Is Aqua Developments the same company as Aqua Properties?

Aqua Developments is the property-development arm of AQUA Properties. The wider business was established in Dubai in 2005, and its development division began operating in 2010.

Who founded Aqua Developments?

Ali Tumbi founded AQUA Properties and serves as chairman. The company develops residential, hotel-apartment and hospitality projects in Dubai.

Has Aqua Developments completed projects in Dubai?

Yes. Aqua has completed J5 and J8 in Al Sufouh, O Ten in Dubai Healthcare City, The Community JVT and Tumbi Hotel on Palm Jumeirah.

What projects is Aqua Developments currently building?

Aqua’s current Dubai developments are The Central Downtown in Arjan, The Community Sports Arena in Dubai Sports City and The Community Motor City.

What is the cheapest Aqua Developments project?

The Community Motor City has the lowest listed starting price at AED 529,000. It offers studios to three-bedroom apartments in Motor City, with limited availability across the released selection.

Is Aqua Developments a good choice for investors?

Aqua suits investors looking for amenity-rich Dubai apartments at prices below many prime central and beachfront communities. Sports City and Arjan attract broad tenant audiences, while the furnished and co-living formats may appeal to renters who value fitness, coworking and social facilities.

Can foreign buyers purchase Aqua projects?

Aqua’s current homes are freehold properties in designated Dubai communities. The ownership details for the chosen unit will appear in the reservation and sale documents.

Is Aqua Developments a good developer?

Aqua is worth considering if you want a modern Dubai apartment with extensive fitness, leisure and coworking facilities. Its completed buildings provide useful points of comparison, while the current portfolio covers three distinct neighbourhoods and a broad range of budgets and floor plans.

Start with the area that suits your daily life, then compare the floor plan, total price, service charge and payment dates of two or three actual units.

Browse current Aqua Developments projects or compare the company with other names in our UAE developer guide.

Developer information and further reading

About the Projectory Team

Projectory’s editorial content is created and reviewed by its founders, who bring more than 30 years of combined experience brokering, buying, developing and selling property in the UAE.

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