According to a World Bank assessment, the urban development rate in Vietnam is staying at a high level compared to the rest of the world and leads in Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, the management and usage of urban land, and organisation of urban space, particularly underground, remains wasted and troublesome. Especially, investments in building infrastructure works are not planned or in harmony with each other, causing big losses. How can the problem in urban management be solved, particularly in using and managing urban space? Vietnam Business Forum interviewed Deputy Construction Minister Tran Ngoc Chinh.
Many say that the fact that we are now preparing to issue the Urban Planning Law is too late, while the management of urban architecture master plans and related issues remain inadequate and also overlap. What do you think about this?
I think the reason is the lack of legal foundations for urban planning and development management. Specifically, the system of legal documents for urban architecture planning management is insufficient, its lacks synchronism, has a poor legal validity and has not yet met the requirements of a comprehensive management of urban development construction. In addition, the allocation and coordination of urban management among central and local governmental authorities or among functional industries remains scattered, overlaps, is unconsolidated and vague. The role of urban government, especially that of the urban architecture administrative body, though essential, is not clearly defined. The birth of the Urban Master planning Law this time is very crucial despite being late. Previously, this issue was mentioned in a charter of the Constructional Law, but did not cover issues arising in present times, thus we need to build a specific law for urban planning. The law will need to be an effective instrument to improve the efficacy of state administration in modern urban construction and development, which should work well with socio-economic development and protect the environment and address urgent problems in the present urban development management process. For example, using urban land, managing urban space (including underground) and developing urban infrastructure and services. The new law will connect different fields in urban planning management to create a unique law.
In some big cities like Hanoi and HCM City in recent times, super-thin and indistinct houses have been a hot and unsolved issue. Is this issue under the new law’s control?
The editorial board has considered this issue but determinedly reserved its viewpoint that urban areas should be re-organised with better space and architecture. To solve the problem of super-thin and indistinct houses, which badly affects urban beauty, the law draft has mentioned that no license will be granted to new constructions or upgrading and expansive works on land that covers less than 15 square metres. The Government will compensate with money and not with replacement land when revoking the targeted land. The viewpoint of the Construction Ministry is to encourage urban residents to gather up land and small building areas. If it is impossible, a state regime should be set up to buy such pieces of land for public use. The law will also decide on architectural space (shape, colour and light in urban design), thus no super-thin and indistinct house will be built.
Information about the master plans is not publicised widely for long, leading to lawsuits from residents, which should not occur. In the near future, can people take part in deciding the master plans and the management?
The new law expresses a respect for public opinion when clearly defining that during the process of drawing up urban designs and master plans, the consulting company has the responsibility to take recommendations from other institutions in coordination with the People’s Committees at all levels and take suggestions from related organisations, individuals and the local communities via information, workshops, reports or public exhibitions. Accordingly, this openness will help the people to understand the master plans and avoid regrettable lawsuits due to a lack of information. In this law, we will publicise the master-planning criteria. The People’s Committees of all levels must publicise widely and regularly master plans in their administrative borders within 30 days since the approval of the urban master plan. Those who are responsible for declaring and publicising the project will be accountable for losses by their offspring if they do not fulfill their responsibilities or provide late or incorrect information.
Anh Tuan
Vietnamese
