Cratched golf project looks to chip from rough

Scores of golf projects across the nation have been axed over fears they will eat up valuable agricultural land

The Tuan Chau Hanoi ecological tourism and entertainment park project will continue after getting its golf course scratched.

Pham Van Trang, office manager of Tuan Chau Ha Tay Joint Stock Company - the developer of the project, said: “We are trying to get a new design for the land formerly earnmarked for the golf course to rapidly get the project off the ground.”

The $263 million project, to cover 198 hectares area in Hanoi’s Quoc Oai district, was innitially designed as an ecological tourism and entertainment park including an 18-hole golf course on  93ha with an entertainment park, hotels and villas.

However, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai last week canned the golf course because it clashed with the Hanoi master plan. The project is located on the planned western green belt of the capital city, which is mapped out in the Hanoi’s draft development masterplan until 2030.

Trang said the golf-course was considered the heart of the project and the development of villas and  the hotel depended on it.

“We not only lost money for changing the design, but also lost a lot of oppotunities as the project was delayed,” said Trang.

Trang said the company planned to build an international standard school, hospital and a resort on 93ha, which was previously reserved for the golf course.

The project started construction in February, 2008 and expected to complete its first phase by the end of 2010. However, it was delayed for five months as local people disagreed with its 18-hole golf course to eat up agricultural land. 

In March, Hanoi People’s Commitee canceled 10 other golf-course projects set in the city and required their developers to transform the projects.

The Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park, the Me Tri sport area in Tu Liem district, the Me Linh and Ba Vi international golf courses are among those to have fallen victim.

Eight other golf-course projects will continue such as those in   Dong Anh, Soc Son, Chuong My, Long Bien, and My Duc districts.

As per the national golf course development masterplan toward 2020 approved by the prime minister last year, there will be 89 golf-courses across the country, with only 16 courses licenced to be constructed in Red River region including Hanoi, Hai phong, Vinh Phuc, Ninh Binh, Hai Duong and Ha Nam province.

Tuan Chau Ha Tay is a member company of Tuan Chau Group - one of the leading tourism development companies in Vietnam with a mega tourism and entertainment project in northern Quang Ninh province’s Tuan Chau island.