After the adoption of the development plan for the city of Rabat, the Rabat-Salé Urban Agency announced, on Friday, October 10, 2025, an international call for tenders to develop a new urban planning and heritage preservation plan for the buffer zone of Rabat listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with a start date scheduled in 2027.

The study, with a budget of 3 million dirhams, will be conducted at both national and regional levels and is expected to be completed within 12 months, including a territorial diagnosis before drafting the development plan.

Spanning an area of 496 hectares, the buffer zone surrounds the heritage area composed of the old medina of the capital, the new city, and the Chellah site. It includes the Hassan and Agdal-Ryad districts, with historical residential neighborhoods from the early 20th century, such as Ocean, Orangers, and Upper Hassan.

The new development plan project must follow the principles of sustainable development, ensuring a balance between, on one hand, controlled urban renewal and development, and on the other hand, the protection and requalification of the historical, architectural, and urban heritage.

Building on the 2017 plan, this new project will strengthen and implement its guidelines within a unified vision, proposing strict rules for new construction to maintain harmony with historical buildings.

The plan must preserve the urban framework and historic architecture of downtown Rabat, while allowing for a harmonious evolution in line of contemporary urban functions and the city as a hole.

Aligned with the UNESCO management plan, it should adopt an integrated approach to heritage protection, respecting the integrity and original character of historical buildings while adapting them to modern needs.

Although the tender is international, the contractor must include at least 20% Moroccan experts in the project team, unless such experts are unavailable.

The Rabat development plan was adopted in March 2025 after its publication in Official Bulletin No. 7381. It proposed six urban development projects, including :

  • the development of the corniche in the north and south of Rabat,
  • the creation of a multimodal hub in Hay Ryad,
  • the establishment of an attractiveness hub near the Rabat-Agdal station,
  • and the enhancement of the vocation of the Al Irfane student city.

The plan does not include areas within the UNESCO World Heritage Site, which remain subject to UNESCO standards.