Wadi El Na’am- Master Plan for a New Settlement

Client: 'Bedouin Development Authority, by 'Tik Projects
Project Initiation: 2016
Location: South of Segev Shalom
Project Area: 11, 740 dunam
Status: Approved
Program: 14,000 residence, 50,000 square meters for commerce and services.
Planning Team: Ari Cohen, Yaara Manor-Rozner, Avinoam Axelrod, Amir Elisha

Wadi el-Noam will be located on ‘Tzon’ Hill, about 1.5 km south of Be’er Sheva. To the north, the plan will border on Segev Shalom, with route 6 to the south and route 40 to the west. The Naot Hovav industrial park is located 4 km southwest.

The master plan, which covers an area of 11,740 dunam, was designed to provide a formal alternative for the unrecognized settlement currently located near Be’er Sheva prison, Naot Hovav, and along route 40 until Hanegev junction. The bulk of this settlement’s residents currently live within the coundaries of the Naot Hovav industrial park.

In February, 2015, the Ministerial Committee on settlement of the Bedouins in the Negev decided to assess the possibility of creating a new settlement for the Wadi el-Na’am diaspora in the area near their current location, but outside the boundaries of Naot Hovav. In January, 2016, the National Authority decided to recommend to the government that this new settlement be constructed south of Segev Shalom.

The boundaries of the new pan currently include the homes of a small part (several hundred) of the unrecognized village of Wadi el-Na’am’s approximately 7000 current residents. Demographic projections predict that the population of the new settlement will be 14,000 by 2035.

The plan incorporates Bedouin cultural values, such as allowing traditional grazing in the residential areas, using the streams for agricultural purposes and also economic feasibility for the benefit of the residents of the new settlement. It defines a number of residence and settlement types, allocates public land according to the future residents’ needs, and includes the option of agricultural development according to both traditional and intensive modern models.

Wadi el-Noam will be located on ‘Tzon’ Hill, about 1.5 km south of Be’er Sheva. To the north, the plan will border on Segev Shalom, with route 6 to the south and route 40 to the west. The Naot Hovav industrial park is located 4 km southwest.

The master plan, which covers an area of 11,740 dunam, was designed to provide a formal alternative for the unrecognized settlement currently located near Be’er Sheva prison, Naot Hovav, and along route 40 until Hanegev junction. The bulk of this settlement’s residents currently live within the coundaries of the Naot Hovav industrial park.

In February, 2015, the Ministerial Committee on settlement of the Bedouins in the Negev decided to assess the possibility of creating a new settlement for the Wadi el-Na’am diaspora in the area near their current location, but outside the boundaries of Naot Hovav. In January, 2016, the National Authority decided to recommend to the government that this new settlement be constructed south of Segev Shalom.

The boundaries of the new pan currently include the homes of a small part (several hundred) of the unrecognized village of Wadi el-Na’am’s approximately 7000 current residents. Demographic projections predict that the population of the new settlement will be 14,000 by 2035.

The plan incorporates Bedouin cultural values, such as allowing traditional grazing in the residential areas, using the streams for agricultural purposes and also economic feasibility for the benefit of the residents of the new settlement. It defines a number of residence and settlement types, allocates public land according to the future residents’ needs, and includes the option of agricultural development according to both traditional and intensive modern models.

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