The Hanoi People's Committee on July 20 handed over a decision to adjust the planning of the Smart City project in the north of the capital to the BRG-Sumitomo joint venture.

During the ceremony, Shiomi Keigo, General Director of Japan-based Sumitomo Group in Asia-Oceania, expressed his appreciation to the leaders of Hanoi for their support and guidance in expediting the approval of the planning adjustment.

Chairman of Hanoi People's Committee Tran Sy Thanh (R) and Shiomi Keigo, General Director of Sumitomo Group of Japan in Asia-Oceania, at the ceremony. Photos: The Hanoi Times

"This is a crucial step for the project's success, especially as 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Japan," Keigo said.

Keigo also expressed his gratitude to the Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam, Yamada Takio, for his support in accelerating the project's progress and thanked the leaders of the Dong Anh District People's Committee for their efforts and assistance in the site clearance of the project area.

"The Smart City project in North Hanoi is significant for the Sumitomo Group and its strategic partner, the BRG Group. Our vision is to establish a new international urban center in Vietnam that will lead the development of the ASEAN region. We reaffirm our commitment to creating a city with a vibrant community and a high-quality living environment for the people of Hanoi, fostering cooperation and value creation for residents and businesses alike," said Keigo.

Ambassador Takio echoed Keigo's view that this is the largest project ever and a prominent example of cooperation between private corporations from Vietnam and Japan in smart cities.

He expressed his hope that construction of the project would begin soon and urged Hanoi's leaders to continue supporting the next key milestone - the issuance of a land title for the project area.

A design of a future smart city in Dong Anh District, Hanoi.

Promoting green, smart urban area

A report from Hanoi's Department of Planning and Architecture stated changes in the Smart City project to concretize the project of adjusting Hanoi's general construction planning to 2030, with a vision to 2050. 

This planning adjustment aims to create a green, smart urban area with harmonized technical and social infrastructure, meeting the standards of urban models in developed countries and realizing the city's vision for development following its administrative boundary expansion in 2008. 

Advanced and modern technologies, including intelligent information technology, will be used to operate and manage these green urban areas efficiently and save energy, thereby improving the quality of life for city residents.

These planning adjustments serve as the basis for formulating investment projects in accordance with regulations and as a legal framework for relevant agencies and local authorities to manage construction investments according to established planning guidelines.

Specifically, the area under this zoning adjustment falls within the boundaries of Hai Boi, Vinh Ngoc, and Kim No communes in Dong Anh District, Hanoi. The total area under consideration for the study and planning adjustment is approximately 140.23 hectares, with an estimated population of approximately 21,110 people, divided into two zones.

For Zone A, the design adjustments include the expansion of Phuong Trach Lake (especially the southern part) to 54 hectares.

The redesign includes reorganizing the tree system, walkways around the lake, and low-rise housing lots to effectively utilize the urban landscape. The aim is to create a comprehensive residential district with land plots for kindergarten, public spaces for residential units, green spaces for residential units, residential land plots (both high-rise and low-rise), mixed-use land plots for high-rise buildings, and roads. The high-rise mixed-use land will be located along Ta Hong Dike.

In Zone B, the adjustments include changing the function of the residential land parcels to mixed residential land parcels, increasing the building heights from 25 floors to 45 floors, reconfiguring the layout and shape of the land parcels, and incorporating additional green spaces and parking areas to conform to the smart city model and the concept of Transit-Oriented Development (TOD), taking advantage of the proximity to the No. 2 subway line.

Located at the foot of Nhat Tan Bridge and along Hanoi's Nhat Tan - Noi Bai development axis, the Smart City project covers a total area of 272 hectares and requires an investment capital of approximately US$4.2 billion.

The centerpiece of the project is the 108-story Phuong Trach Financial Tower, which will become the largest financial center in Vietnam and Southeast Asia, representing a pivotal moment for Vietnam's socio-economic development in the international market.