Aldar has pledged to build affordable housing, which experts say is generally priced in a range between Dh500 and Dh1,000 per square foot.

Aldar Properties will include plans for affordable housing in its future Abu Dhabi projects, its chief executive says.

The pledge by the executive, John Bullough, comes as planners and other officials push for more action to meet a dire need in the capital’s property market.

Rental prices have increased between 80 per cent and 160 per cent in the past 12 months, according to property consultants Asteco, while the majority of completed projects this year will fall into the luxury sector, out of the price range for many middle-income expatriates.

The National