World of opportunity as Dubai development takes shape

GOD made the world in six days and on the seventh he rested. Big mistake.

He should have been at his lawyers patenting his creation. The oversight has cost him lucrative copyright fees from ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who, not content with filling the Arab state with superscrapers, ship-shaped hotels and marinas modelled on palm fronds, has gone further and recreated the world.

The elaborate development, not surprisingly called The World, consists of 300 artificial islands built off the Dubai coast and arranged in clusters to look like a map of the world.

At least it looks that way from outer space.

Each island represents a country and the apartments, holiday homes, hotels and leisure facilities will have to live up to the name by accurately reflecting the country that inspires it.

Appropriately, the island of Ireland has been bought by an Irishman, 35-year-old Clare developer, Raymond Norton, although he says it wasn’t a sentimental craving to have a piece of the old sod in the sun that influenced his choice.

“It’s the location of the island. It has ‘the Atlantic’ beside it so it’s almost three-quarters of a mile from ‘America’ and has 275 degrees of uninterrupted views this makes it one of the best positioned islands in ‘The World.’.”

He bought the five-acre island in its virgin state for €20 million. Prices range from €780,000 for the smallest suites to €2.2m for the swankiest water homes.

Full details of how the island’s 119 dwellings will look are being kept under wraps until May, but Mr Norton gave a few hints.

“We’re using Irish limestone, Kilkenny granite, slate roofs — that kind of thing. We’re reflecting the architecture of Ireland too — a bit of Georgian on the east coast, more cottagey on the west.”

He laughed off suggestions that he had found a new home for the Spire away from Dublin’s O’Connell Street, but added secretively: “You’ll be surprised what we are bringing over.”

Another secret is the identity of the Irish buyer of five dwellings this week but he’s not unique.

Mr Norton is confident all 119 will be sold by this summer, even though they won’t be ready for occupation till mid-2010.

God must be sighing as he comforts himself with the mantra that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.