Visitors to Jeddah in January 2015 were witness to a rare treat: as part of the festivities surrounding the opening of the 2nd Historic Jeddah Festival, an operetta called “Your Sun Shines” was performed by 100 local folk artists. The subject of the operetta was highly apposite: it told the story of historic Jeddah’s social life, how later generations drifted from such ways, and how eventually “the sun started shining again”, as the city’s heritage achievements were recognised by UNESCO. Organisers of the festival – which was expected to draw 1m visitors – were hoping to deliver a clear message. As Prince Mishaal bin Majed,

With Jeddah’s population continuing to grow at pace, the Jeddah Development and Urban Regeneration Company (JDURC) estimates that demand for housing in the city will rise to 40,000 units by 2023, up from a current figure of 18,000-25,000 units per year. Meeting this demand would present a challenge in any city, yet in Jeddah the municipal authorities have the additional problem of redeveloping significant tracts of existing urban development. An estimated 20% of the population currently lives in unplanned developments spread across approximately 50 different sites. Ensuring these developments meet proper planning standards has been a priority for the city since the devastating floods of