El Menzah 9: Tunis’s Overlooked Suburb Poised for Major Rezoning

El Menzah 9, long regarded as little more than a commuter suburb on the northern edge of Tunis, is suddenly attracting intense interest from property developers as municipal officials ready a draft rezoning plan for the area, city documents confirm.

With land values climbing in central Tunis and nearby business districts like Les Berges du Lac and Centre Urbain Nord, investors have begun snapping up residential blocks between Avenue Tahar Ben Achour and Rue El Menzah 9D. Residents, who have seen little significant change in decades, could soon witness dramatic shifts in the local landscape.

Why El Menzah 9 Matters Now

The potential rezoning is significant: the plan—expected to go before the Conseil Municipal by September—would permit mixed-use developments up to five storeys high along key arteries. "Everyone’s eyes are on El Menzah 9," said a representative from the Société Tunisienne de Promotion Immobilière, which has reportedly acquired several adjoining lots over the past year.

Local businesses are watching closely. The long-standing Café Ben Yedder, a fixture at the corner of Avenue de l’UMA and Rue du Lac Turkana, has seen a surge in weekend enquiries from would-be investors. If the plan is approved, the retail park on Route X could be reimagined as mid-rise apartments with ground-floor shops, echoing transformations in Lac II but at entry-level prices.

Surging Demand and Market Data

Property analysts at L’Observatoire Immobilier report that average asking prices in El Menzah 9 climbed from 1,750 dinars per square metre in January 2025 to nearly 2,300 dinars today, a 31% leap in just 18 months. For comparison, prices in La Marsa hover around 3,200 dinars. Yet rents in El Menzah 9—averaging 800 dinars for a two-bedroom flat, according to listing site Tayara.tn—remain below the city’s median, hinting at untapped rental potential.

Notably, the 2025 municipal improvement budget earmarked 2.2 million dinars for road widening and new green spaces in the sector. Municipal spokespersons confirmed works are already underway along Avenue Medinat Al Irfane, with contractors set to finish before the new school year begins this September.

The pending rezoning also aligns with SNT’s planned tramway extension, linking El Menzah 9 with Boulevard de l’Environment in Ennasr, which is scheduled to open in late 2027.

What’s Next for Residents and Investors?

The rezoning proposal is likely to go to public consultation before the end of August, according to city planning officials. Local homeowners can expect door-to-door briefings, with a final council vote anticipated in mid-September. "If you’re thinking of buying for investment, this is a narrow window," said one property manager at Agence El Kahina, active in the area for two decades. Prospective buyers are advised to check property titles at the municipal cadastre on Rue de Rome, as land subdivision rules are expected to tighten under the new regulations.

Whether El Menzah 9 becomes the city’s next property hotspot will depend on the final scope of the rezoning, but after years in the shadows, the neighbourhood is firmly on the map for Tunis’s next wave of urban growth.