Dubai Municipality has officially updated its early childhood centres regulations. Moreover, the authority has introduced new standards to improve safety, functionality, and investment appeal across the emirate. However, the announcement was made on Friday, which marks a big step towards advancing the educational infrastructure of Dubai in line with its sustainable urban development vision.
Under the new regulation, preschools, nurseries, and daycare centres are now allowed to construct a first floor dedicated exclusively to administrative and service use. However, this extra floor is created to improve operational efficiency without increasing the financial pressure on investors.
Key Highlights of the Updated Dubai Municipality Early Childhood Centres Regulations
The civic body highlighted the important updates focused at improving urban flexibility and educational capacity. We have listed those updates below:
- Setback Requirement: Each early childhood centre must maintain a minimum setback or open space of three metres on all sides, ensuring safety and accessibility.
- Parking Standards: Facilities must provide one parking space per classroom, one space per 50 square metres of office area, and one bus space for every three classrooms.
Eng. Sanaa Al Alili, Director of the Urban Planning Department at Dubai Municipality, said, “The new planning standard for early childhood centres enhances the quality of the educational facilities and aligns with the vision of Dubai to grow a promising future generation. The extra floor space improves urban flexibility, optimises land use, and enhances service levels without additional fees.”
The revised Dubai Municipality Early Childhood Centres Regulations were created in collaboration with the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) and the Knowledge Fund. However, this partnership ensures the new framework supports educational excellence and urban efficiency.
Enhancing Education, Sustainability, and Investment Appeal
Eng. Nasser BuShehab, CEO of the Planning and Governance Sector at Dubai Municipality, explained that the new regulations for the early childhood centres ensure a modern learning environment for children while boosting the investment appeal of early education.
He further added that these updates reduce financial burdens on investors and align with the goal of Dubai to create an integrated and sustainable community that supports future generations.
The new framework aims to balance the needs of educators, investors, and urban planners. Apart from balancing the needs, it also supports the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan’s vision of sustainable growth, accessibility, and social well-being.
The new framework is expected to attract more private sector participation in early education projects by allowing greater flexibility in design and operation. Moreover, investors are going to benefit from an optimised land use and improved service capacity without additional licensing fees or space restrictions.
Supporting Dubai’s 2040 Vision and Future Generations
As we mentioned above, the updated Dubai Municipality early childhood centres regulations are completely aligned with the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan. Hence, it highlights the development of sustainable, inclusive, and forward-looking communities across the emirate.
These regulations ensure that preschools, nurseries, and daycare centres are safe and accessible. In addition, they also thoughtfully created to support the physical, cognitive, and emotional development of students. Plus, Dubai Municipality is creating learning experiences that are child-friendly and operationally efficient.
Besides the structural compliances, the new regulation aims to boost modern educational methods that benefit teachers, students, and parents. Moreover, well-planned classrooms, optimised land use, and clearly defined parking and bus spaces contribute to smoother daily operation and reduce congestion. Plus, the framework motivates private investment in early education.
Hence, it provides investors with the confidence to create centres that meet extra costs or fees. In short, this development is aimed at improving the overall early childhood centres.
Read more:
Emman Atienza Passes Away at 19
Sharjah Civil Defence: Guardians of Safety Building a Future-Ready Emirate
