Ashkelon Rises on the Golf Course: Major Plan Approved for 1,260 Homes and Hotels by the Sea

ILA has received final approval for a massive development in northern Ashkelon featuring 1,260 housing units, 650 hotel rooms, a 620-dunam golf park, public buildings, and commercial areas. A new promenade will link Ariel Sharon Street to the beach and the Nitzanim Dunes Reserve, while the project’s construction depends on rehabilitating a landfill and an abandoned quarry located on site.

By Doron Breutman, Nadlan Center

The Southern District Planning and Building Committee, headed by Oded Plus, has approved a detailed plan for a new golf complex on Ashkelon’s northern seafront. The project, initiated by the Israel Land Authority (ILA), covers about 1,400 dunams adjacent to the Mediterranean coast, bordered by the Nitzanim Dunes Nature Reserve to the north and east and Barnea G neighborhood to the south. The plan was designed by architect Ohad Ben-David.

The approved plan includes 1,140 residential units within the golf site itself, plus an additional 120 housing units along Ariel Sharon Street — 40% of which will be small or micro-apartments, and at least 20% designated as affordable rentals, some at reduced prices — totaling 1,260 new homes. The plan also features a 620-dunam golf park, 17,000 sqm of sports and leisure facilities for the golf club, 9,000 sqm of commercial space, 71,000 sqm of hotel space (650 hotel rooms), 7,000 sqm for public buildings, and 280 dunams of open green areas.

According to the Planning Administration, the construction will stretch along Ariel Sharon Street, adjacent to the existing urban fabric to the south. A new promenade is planned along this street, connecting westward to the sea and eastward to the City of Wine Park. The plan will link the city to both the Nitzanim Reserve and the beach, creating a continuous network of paths and recreation areas.

Along the southern edge of the plan, a commercial frontage will combine retail, hospitality, and residential uses, creating a vibrant, continuous urban facade along Ariel Sharon Street. The promenade will connect southward to the city beach and northward to the Nitzanim Dunes Nature Reserve.

The project area overlaps with the old Barnea landfill (approximately 400 dunams), which will undergo environmental rehabilitation as part of the golf park’s development, as well as a disused quarry of about 215 dunams. Implementation of the housing and hotel components is contingent upon completing the rehabilitation of both the landfill and the quarry, as stipulated by the District Committee.

Oded Plus, Chair of the Southern District Committee, stated: “This is an important plan that develops Ashkelon’s northern coastline while enhancing the interface with nearby nature reserves. As a unique project combining housing, hotels, and a golf complex, it will position Ashkelon as a leading and attractive coastal city.”

Assaf Reinfeld, Head of the Jerusalem District at the ILA, added: “The ‘Golf Hub – North Beach’ project, led by the ILA, Ministry of Tourism, and Ashkelon Municipality, includes 1,140 housing units, 650 hotel rooms, public buildings, commercial areas, a convention center, and performance halls. This plan marks a major step in turning Ashkelon into a leading tourist destination, combining economic, cultural, and community development in a rare and beautiful natural setting.”

Michal Meril, Southern District Planner at the Planning Administration, emphasized that the plan “was carefully designed to preserve the area’s natural and scenic values. It ensures continued public access to the sea and creates a soft interface with adjacent open spaces, allowing the development to blend naturally with the existing coastal landscape. The project is expected to significantly strengthen Ashkelon’s position as a major southern coastal city, combining quality of life, leisure, and nature.”