My Dubai Rent: Family bids emotional goodbye to three-bedroom villa facing demolition

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Tamanna Sirohi O'Gorman moved to a villa in Dubai more than seven years ago to gain additional indoor and outdoor space for her growing family, but will soon be forced to look elsewhere.

She shares the three-bedroom home in Umm Suqeim 1 with her Irish husband Tom, 54, their daughter Aria, 8, son Laurence, 7, and a cocker spaniel, Willow.

Ms O'Gorman, 46, an Indian national working in luxury fashion, showed The National around a house that she says gives her a sense of peace.

Tell us about your home

The villa has three bathrooms, a private garden and access to a shared pool within the compound.

It’s an older-style home rather than a modern build, which is something we really love. It has warmth, character and space, and feels very family-friendly.

Another great benefit is that Tom’s passion for cars has an outlet. He currently has three Jaguars … luckily, we have lots of free parking space.

How long have you lived here?

We moved here about seven and a half years ago from an apartment in Dubai Marina. At the time, I was about to have our second child, and we needed more space.

We were also very keen to move somewhere with greenery and outdoor areas where the children could grow up.

Why did you choose this place?

When we first moved here, the price for the location and the amount of space was excellent. Over the years, the rent has increased gradually, but it’s still below the current market rate for this area.

We were also drawn to the older-style villas. They aren’t ultra-modern, but they feel more homely and spacious.

What made you opt for this area?

We really wanted a garden and green space for the children to grow up in and that’s becoming harder to find in central Dubai.

My husband sails, so being close to the beach and the sailing club was also a big factor. The area is very central, close to good schools, supermarkets and work, and it has a real community feel.

There’s plenty of outdoor space, walking and cycling paths, and it feels like a proper neighbourhood rather than just a collection of buildings.

What do you pay to rent?

We pay Dh160,000 per year. It’s still comparatively reasonable, although rents across Dubai have risen to levels that feel quite extreme for many families.

How have you made it your ho