Construction of a 110-berth private marina has begun at the Hidd Al Saadiyat villa project in Abu Dhabi, the developer said in a statement.

Ghantoot Group has been appointed to build the marina, which is directly linked to the beach and will include a pedestrian walkway, and is scheduled for completion in April 2017.

The marina development has been designed to meet Abu Dhabi’s Estidama Pearl 2 sustainability rating, according to Greg Slingerland, Hidd Al Saadiyat’s Project Director.

“We are witnessing the evolution of Hidd Al Saadiyat into a state-of-the-art development especially now with the construction of the long-anticipated marina. Our continued collaboration with leading contracting companies such as Ghantoot Group further reinforces our commitment to making Hidd Al Saadiyat an exclusive neighbourhood just a stone’s throw away from the island’s pristine beaches and turquoise waters,” he said.

The overall Hidd Al Saadiyat development, which also adopts the Estidama Pearl 2 sustainability guidelines, is being developed by the Saadiyat Development and Investment Company (SDIC) and managed by LEAD Development.

The luxury residential project covers about 1.5 million square meters of land on Saadiyat Island, including nearly 7km of beachfront, and is set to include 461 villas.

Initial construction on Hidd Al Saadiyat began in January 2013 and the project handover is expected to begin at the end of 2016.