Ha Noi puts freeze on new building permits

(08-05-2009)

HA NOI — Licences for urban building projects will not be issued before the approval of the Ha Noi Master Construction Plan, according to a decision by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

This is to ensure the planning project is carried out effectively and uniformly, Dung said.

Ha Noi People’s Committee will have to review all urban building projects already approved so the Government can decide which to scrap.

"Many projects were approved hastily before Ha Tay Province and some districts of Hoa Binh were integrated into Ha Noi," said chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen The Thao.

He said this was why it was necessary to review projects to see if they fitted with the city’s overall plan. Projects planned in an area from Ring Road III to the Day River will be reviewed first.

Ha Noi presently has 744 projects approved, taking up 75,000ha of the city. "There are projects that have been pending for too long," said Deputy Director of Ha Noi’s Department of Architecture and Planning Nguyen Van Hai.

Vice chairman of the city People’s Committee, Phi Thai Binh, said that many investors had not started work on projects after they had been approved, and that the city was determined to stop them.

According to a review carried out by the Ministry of Construction on 318 projects, only 58 projects met criteria for being allowed to continue, 153 projects adjusted and 107 stopped.

"This is a ‘must do’ so that the Government can re-allocate land to capable investors," said Vu Ngoc Kich, an expert with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

Regarding many concerns about investors launching projects that would have to be stopped after the review, city leaders said there would be appropriate compensation, depending on the level of investment already spent. Withdrawn land will be allotted to the city’s land development fund.

The Ministry of Construction will provide detailed information and figures on the city’s planning before July, especially for transport and power and water supplies. — VNS

• Vietnam gasoline soon to be on sale -08/05/2009
• HCMC market ends week in positive mood -08/05/2009
• U.K. supermarket chain to sell Vietnamese dragon fruit -08/05/2009
• PM sends letter to business community -08/05/2009
• PM pledges better conditions for Chinese investors -08/05/2009

• Domestic market and trade promotion programme 2009 launched -08/05/2009
• April CPI increases by 0.35% -08/05/2009
• FamilyMart eyes Vietnam’s potential market -08/05/2009
• Vietnam pledges closer co-ordination to overcome crisis -08/05/2009
• Golf course chemicals may pollute water -08/05/2009