Israel Lands Authority Revives Long-Stalled Bnei Brak Housing Project With Tenfold Unit Increase

The Israel Lands Authority (ILA) has relaunched a nearly 20-year-old urban development plan in northern Bnei Brak, significantly expanding the housing units from the original proposal. The new tender, recently published for the "Tzipor Complex" area, covers approximately 109 dunams and calls for the construction of 947 residential units, a tenfold increase from the 92 units planned in the 2009 approved scheme.

This tender is a "development tender," granting the winning bidder not only land lease rights but also the authority to advance new planning for the site over five years, with a possible one-year extension. The site is located north of Jabotinsky Road, south of Em HaMoshavot Road, and adjacent to Highway 4 to the west. The original 2009 plan envisioned a mixed-use area focused on employment and commerce with minimal housing, whereas the updated plan prioritizes residential development alongside 4,000 square meters of commercial space.

A similar plan submitted in 2018 proposing 947 housing units and commercial space was rejected by the Tel Aviv District Planning and Building Committee in 2020 and did not proceed to approval. The ILA is now attempting to advance this updated plan through the new tender process. The official tender booklet is expected to be published later this month, with the submission deadline currently set for early October 2023.

The ILA stated that the tender is based on a programmatic framework and coordinated with the local municipality, with an updated planning version to be included in the tender documents. The area remains largely open land with minimal construction, originally agricultural, and the renewed initiative aims to transform it into a vibrant residential and commercial district.