Construction work on the Dubai World Trade Centre District has been delayed by around nine months so that the World Trade Centre can focus on expanding its exhibition centre.

'As our immediate focus is on construction of our new exhibition halls ... we have pushed back our build programme for our Dubai Trade Centre District project, and completion of the first office buildings in phase one of the District is expected by the end of the third quarter in 2011,' the developer said in a statement.

It said it had started design work on expanding its exhibition space at the DICEC, with construction expected to start soon and be completed by the end of 2009. -Reuters