Expansion plans are emerging from the ashes of the Middle East property market with a number of key developers and real estate companies announcing new projects.

But the building won’t be in the desert sands, but further afield as the companies look to other parts of the world rather than on their own doorstep.

Also the new projects are much lower key than the kind of spectacular developments that were launched at the annual Cityscape real estate expo last year.

Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company, a uni

Abu Dhabi's construction sector may have partially side-stepped the economic slowdown that has decimated neighbouring Dubai's housing market, but it has witnessed slowdown and cancellations. Which makes Aldar's results for the first half of 2009 encouraging. The local developer, which is currently delivering a number of key anchor projects for the emirate including Al-Raha beach, Yas Island and F1 City, has announced a net profit of Dhs1.14bn.

Net assets value grew by 5% to Dhs16.8bn during the past six months, whereas gross revenue

The UAE's construction sector has witnessed a traumatic nine months. Dubai's market all but stopped overnight with investment drying up, resulting in the stalling of speculation-led projects as developers struggled to maintain capital flow. In the capital Abu Dhabi, however, progress has been hampered but not stopped. The emirate is maintaining a bullish pace with many developments continuing to progress.

The $27bn Saadiyat Island, which is to host international culture brands such as the Louvre and Guggenheim continues to move forward.