The billionaire ruler of Dubai has unveiled ambitious plans to significantly upgrade the private helipads at his sprawling English estate in Suffolk, a favoured retreat for the royal family to escape the United Arab Emirates' intense summer heat.
Escaping the Desert Heat
Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid al-Maktoum, whose fortune is estimated at a staggering £10.3 billion, has formally submitted a planning application to install concrete surfaces on two of the four existing grass helipads located on the grounds of Warren Towers Palace in Newmarket, Suffolk. The application, submitted by the Godolphin Management Company Limited which is owned by the Sheikh, explicitly states that the Al Maktoum family is visiting their UK bolthole with increasing frequency during the summer months to avoid the extreme temperatures in Dubai, which can soar to a blistering 50 degrees Celsius.
"The Royal family are increasingly visiting Newmarket more during the summer months to escape the heat in Dubai," the planning documents confirm. It further notes that "the family spend a considerable amount of time in Newmarket, and the facilities they need at the house and surroundings are now growing."
A Hub for Horse Racing and Royalty
The Warren Towers Palace, built in 1990, serves as a primary base for the Sheikh's son, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and his family during their stays in the UK. The 16-acre site is strategically positioned just two miles east of Newmarket, the historic headquarters of British horseracing. This location is no coincidence, as the Dubai royal family are titans in the global horse racing scene, owning the world-renowned private Thoroughbred horseracing stable, 'Godolphin'.
The application highlights that the helipad facilities are a shared resource, used not only by the royal family but also by Godolphin trainers and jockeys who require swift transport to race meetings across the country. Godolphin's success is legendary, with their horses having won over 5,000 races worldwide, including prestigious victories at the Kentucky Oaks and the Kentucky Derby earlier this year.
Expanding a Vast UK Property Portfolio
This is not the only development in the Sheikh's extensive UK property empire. Beyond the Suffolk estate, the family holds significant assets across Britain. In the Scottish Highlands, they own a vast 63,000-acre estate on the shores of Loch Duich. As recently as July 2024, representatives for the Sheikh won permission to erect a fifth bedroom home on the Inverinate Estate, marking the eighth property on that land, which already boasts three helipads, a hunting lodge, and a swimming pool.
Furthermore, last month saw the approval of plans to demolish a historic Surrey mansion and replace it with a new build over three times the original size, complete with a dedicated 'party room', mega-basement, and indoor pool. The Longcross Estate in Surrey, purchased by the Sheikh in the 1990s, is another key escape from the Gulf summer and is subject to extremely tight security, including perimeter guards and CCTV.
Alongside the helipad works in Newmarket, a welfare building for pilots and a meteorological station have also been proposed. A decision from the local planning authority on this latest application is expected by February 5.
