CATEGORIES

© Copyright 2004; Hanoitimes - Economic and Urban Newspaper;

The tribune of Hanoi People’s Committee

Publication Permit: 29/GP-CBC

Editor - in - Chief: Nguyen Thanh Loi

Managing Editor: Ta Thu Giang

Email : thugiang@hanoitimes.vn

Head Office: 21 Huynh Thuc Khang Street, Dong Da District, Hanoi

Branch Office: 221 Tran Phu Street, Ha Dong District, Hanoi

WORDS ON THE STREET 70th anniversary of Hanoi's Liberation Day Vietnam - Asia 2023 Smart City Summit Hanoi celebrates 15 years of administrative boundary adjustment 12th Vietnam-France decentrialized cooperation conference 31st Sea Games - Vietnam 2021 Covid-19 Pandemic
Home / Hanoinews
Improve efficiency in master planning and urban land management
Ngoc Thuy - Gia Tuan 08:10, 2017/08/25
On August 23, at the conference of “Improve efficiency in urban land management”, many experts have expressed concern over the current master planning, which do not fully reflect the current situation.
Dr. Truong Van Quang – member of Vietnam Urban Development Planning Association questioned: in spite of the available of overall urban master plan and detailed regional master plan, why is the violation in construction still growing?

Low effectiveness of land use 
 
Vacated Villas at Ha Dong District.
Vacated Villas at Ha Dong District.
According to experts, currently, the effectiveness of land use is still low, showing by the ratio of approximately 2,100 people/km2. This is a very low ratio in comparison with other countries in Asia (the average is 1,000 people/km2). Many urban lands in new urban areas of Vietnam are left empty with thousands of houses and villas left aside. In Hanoi, the prime example is the project along Thang Long Highway. The ratio of filling in apartments is also low. While the apartments are not completed, people also do not choose to live there. Billions of dollars reserved for those projects are not spend, leading to great waste. 

Commenting on the issue of unsuitable land use and the inappropriate urban planning, Dr. Arch Truong Van Quang of the Vietnam Urban Planning and Development Association (VUPDA) assumed that, the current development of new urban areas need to be appraised accurately. As of now, this model is mostly about real estate business rather than the sustainable development of urban areas. 

In addition, many localities are generously giving empty lands to enterprises for investment and ignoring the common planning. On this issue, Mr. Truong Van Quang stated that this irresponsibility of localities is the major cause of fake projects. Moreover, with projects that are initiated, there is a severe lack of technical and social infrastructure unification. “In simpler term, everything is straying away from the original goals and contents of common and specific urban planning that has been approved. In addition, many urban planning development projects have met newly emerging obstacles, such as increase of construction density, height of buildings or increase in floor areas… in comparison to the architectural size of the whole urban area,” Mr. Quang stated.

Lack of leadership

Expert in fields of urban planning said, the chaotic picture in urban land using stems from lack of cooperation between administrative agencies. The fragmented planning based on the management of each agency is causing consequences: traffic congestion, pollution, and inconsistent purpose for land using. The situation is caused by the lack of leadership to have an overall management and instruction to have consistent planning for the whole city.
 
Many projects in My Dinh left unexecuted.
Many projects in My Dinh left unexecuted.
Vice Director of Institute for Urban studies & Infrastructure development – Dr. Nguyen Dang Son questioned: why violation in construction happens daily, but it is still difficult for local government to control? Someone may put the blame of this chaotic scene in urban architecture on master planners or architects, but in the other way around, if we can manage and strictly follow their ideas, the urban area will be in order and beautiful like in their 3D sketches – Mr. Son analyzed.

Meanwhile, Dr. Truong Van Quang openly criticize the lack of responsibility on this matter. If leader only think of what they should do on their terms only, the regional planning or detailed planning will not be effective, so that we will have to modify master plans for every few years. The mechanism of “the right to ask belongs to investors, while the right to give belongs to administrative agency” shows the incapability and irresponsibility of a part of public officials responsible for urban development.

According to experts from the World Bank, Vietnam need to have significant transformation from the current urban planning, with a view to develop urban based on the urban-economic structure in the market economy. “Focusing on review the planning, in order to save lands for public and transport infrastructures”. The city need to issue regulations that after factories and offices moving out of the urban area, the land fund will be used for public purposes. In particular, it is necessary to build kindergartens, gardens, trees, and public facilities, and do not allow to build apartments in central area” – Chairman of Vietnam Construction Association Tran Ngoc Hung stressed. 
Comments
Other news
19:01, 2025/01/30
Hanoi makes strides in traffic management
Cashless parking payment is a key step in managing static traffic, solving parking issues, and serving as the underlying technology for a smart digital map of parking spaces throughout the city.
17:26, 2025/01/29
Hanoi to train 240,000 workers in 2025
The city will improve capacity of vocational schools and accelerate their digital transformation to meet the training targets.
17:15, 2025/01/29
Resolution 57 sparks reforms to strengthen Vietnam's science and technology sector
Hanoimoi newspaper spoke with Nguyen Quan, former Minister of Science and Technology and Chairman of the Vietnam Automation Association, about solutions to drive technological advancement and regional economic development.
00:18, 2025/01/29
Tet through the eyes of overseas students
What does Tet mean when you're miles away from home?
23:19, 2025/01/28
General Secretary To Lam sends Lunar New Year greetings to Hanoi’s Party, authorities and people
Hanoi is expected to remain at the forefront of implementing central government policies, driving innovation, and advancing the city’s economic, cultural, and social development.
22:17, 2025/01/28
Hanoi upholds role as Vietnamese capital: Bui Thi Minh Hoai, Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee
the occasion of the Lunar New Year of the Snake 2025, Politburo member, Hanoi Party Secretary, and Head of the Hanoi National Assembly Delegation Bui Thi Minh Hoai sent a New Year letter to the people, comrades, officials, soldiers, and children of Hanoi across the country and abroad.