Saudi Arabia has launched a project to construct 670 villas near its capital Riyadh city as part of plans to build residential cities in that area, newspapers reported on Monday.

The National Housing Company, an affiliate of the Housing Ministry, laid the groundwork for the project on Sunday, they said.

The new project has an area of 178,000 sqm and is located just west of King Khaled International Airport in Riyadh, Okaz and other dailies reported.

It is part of plans by the Ministry to build thousands of houses in the outskirts of Riyadh in partnership with private developers, the report said.

"The project is one of many housing schemes undertaken by the Ministry near Riyadh and in other areas of the Kingdom to provide houses to citizens at reasonable prices to increase their property ownership," the report added without mentioning when the new project would be completed.

(Writing by Nadim Kawach; Editing by Anoop Menon)

(anoop.menon@refinitiv.com)

© ZAWYA 2020