Tunis Rezones 42 Hectares in La Marsa for Taller Towers

Tunis municipal planners filed a rezoning application on July 8 that reclassifies 42 hectares of low-density residential land in La Marsa for buildings up to eight storeys high with ground-floor retail.

The proposal arrives as property transactions in greater Tunis rose 18 percent in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period last year, according to figures from the National Land Registry Office. City officials say the change responds to pressure from developers seeking sites near the sea while existing single-family zoning blocks larger projects.

Under the draft, the affected zone runs from Rue de la Plage eastward to the TGM La Marsa station and includes parcels bordering the municipal sports complex on Avenue Hannibal. The Tunis Urban Planning Directorate and the La Marsa District Council will hold a 45-day public comment period starting July 15 at the district offices on Place de la République.

Local effects on daily movement

Residents along Rue du 7 Novembre and near the old fishing harbour would see new access roads and widened pavements if the plan advances. The rezoning also requires developers to allocate 12 percent of each site for public green space, a rule already applied in the recent Lac de Tunis extension projects completed in 2024.

Average sale prices for existing villas in the targeted blocks reached 520,000 Tunisian dinars in May 2026, up from 410,000 dinars two years earlier, according to listings compiled by the Tunis Real Estate Chamber. City records show 67 building-permit applications for La Marsa were rejected last year solely on density limits that the new zoning would lift.

Next steps for approval

The full dossier moves to the Ministry of Equipment for technical review by August 20, after which the municipal council can vote on adoption. Property owners inside the zone can submit objections in writing until August 30 at the La Marsa town hall counter on Avenue Bourguiba.