Dissertation_Dr Faisal Almubarak

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Aththouqbah, the Tapline company implemented a plan with standards that were neither
consistent with the local culture nor equal to those enjoyed by its (American) oil
communities' residents. 13 As such, the plan fell short of being a genuine attempt to
experiment with new planning paradigms of modern comprehensive planning, that is to
treat the city as a system, suited to Arar's rapid development and culture.
B. Land Tenure
Because the location of Arar was selected in the midst of barren land, documentation
of land ownership, did not exist, hence land fell under government ownership. Arar's
original form comprised two discrete parts: the industrial camp and Arar proper.(Figure
4). 14 The industrial complex encompassed the apparatus of oil transportation and
maintenance ancillary facilities. It also included a small community which housed the
technical staff overseeing the plant and a hospital. The second part of Arar's development
was a community specifically platted for the purpose of housing government functions and
staff, in conjunction with the concession by the government to the Tapline, a request which
reflected the central state's interest in strengthening its presence in the desolate region. The
land for the new industrial complex and the Arab community was appropriated from
government land. Arar's early structures were built by the Tapline for the government in
what is commonly referred to as the "Tapline Houses" ("Arab") community (Figure 4 B).
The developed property was a public-private venture and legal ownership of residential and
commercial uses were gradually ceded to residents according to pricing formulas. 15
To encourage the sedentarization of the nomads and to enlist ruralites in the growing
modern economy, various mechanisms were devised by the government to .help citizens
obtain land for housing and private development. With the majority of the population
moving to and living in towns, and cities, the government has maintained the tradition of
transferring public land to private ownership. Royal Decrees no. 7,800 dated 10/7/1380H
(1960), stipulated royal permission for granting land. 16 To qualify for free land, citizens
were required to submit petitions showing proof of citizenship and the location requested to
the Royal authority. Royal Decree no. 59 dated 19/4/1401 (1981) clarified criteria for
lower income groups (LIG) to qualify for free land. Some of the conditions attached to
LIG grants were that the owner had to be 18 years or older, must not own land or had not
previously obtained a REDF loan, must start construction within a five-year period, and
should not sell or rent during the five year period following its delivery to the applicant. 17