High-rises set to continue in capital’s city centre?

Hanoi authorities are determined to protect the city centre’s intimate charms

These projects were among 223 [nine stories or up] cancelled since late last year by the prime minister, to limit high-rise buildings in Hanoi’s centre. A committee source said some could be permitted to continue if they were in line with Hanoi’s master plan.

The 54 projects were clarified as having finished legal documentation and were seen as urgent to the city’s socio-economic development, the source said. The source said that the rest would be carefully reviewed, but it was unclear whether they could continue.

Phi Thai Binh, vice mayor of Hanoi, said the city would set up high-rise buildings under the form of a circle, with the highest on the city centre’s outskirts then gradually lowering into the inner city centre. High-rise buildings would be developed along big transport routes, core and ring roads.

Binh said high-rise buildings were banned from the Ba Dinh political centre, the Old Quarter, around Hoan Kiem lake and the ancient citadel. The ban was stated in announcement 348/TB-VPCP issued by the Government Office in December, 2009.

It was aimed at avoiding pressure on the city’s infrastructure system which has been burdened with traffic jams, flooding and pollution. Meanwhile, vice minister of construction Nguyen Dinh Toan said the government should wait until Hanoi’s master plan to 2030 and vision to

2050 was approved, before any decisions were finalised. However, the draft master plan has not been approved and the government required the Ministry of Construction to adjust the master plan and re-submit it.
Many project investors are unhappy at losses caused by the ban.

“We know that the purpose to limit high-rise buildings in the city’s centre is absolutely right and the government had to do it sooner or later. However, we have done procedures for these projects and have wasted expenses on them,” said an investor.

By Bích Ngọc