Development space planning for Hai Phong city after merger
One of Hai Phong’s five strategic breakthroughs in the new tenure is to complete the citywide planning system, including modern and synchronized urban planning.
Many projects of modern city
From a low-lying wetland that had existed for hundreds of years, Vu Yen island on the northern bank of the Cam river has now made a spectacular transformation, becoming one of the most modern urban areas on Hai Phong city’s northern tourism map. By the end of this September, Vincom Mega Mall Royal Island, the island’s new shopping center, is scheduled to be inaugurated and opened for business.
The Vu Yen island amusement, residential, and eco-park complex has been approved by the Prime Minister, with a total investment equivalent to 2.4 billion USD.
During the 2020–2025 term, Hai Phong also marked a major breakthrough with the basic completion of infrastructure for the Bac Song Cam new urban area, featuring key projects such as the Political–Administrative Center and the Convention and Performance Center.
Regarding the former Hai Duong province, the Prime Minister issued a decision approving the provincial planning for the 2021–2030 period, with a vision to 2050. Accordingly, Hai Duong’s socio-economic development space is oriented along four main corridors, including an economic corridor along rivers.
Notably, the Ecorivers Hai Duong urban area, developed by Ecopark Hai Duong Investment JSC., is part of the province’s strategy to develop riverside residential and urban areas and became a popular choice among local residents.
After the merger with Hai Duong province, Hai Phong expanded in both area and population, creating strong impacts on the city’s development strategy. Chu Ngoc Ha, Director of the city Planning Institute, noted that the expansion provides the advantage of reducing pressure on the old urban core, while creating land reserves for the formation of new urban areas built to international, modern, and smart standards.
Urgent adjustment of the master plan
Tran Cao Nguyen, Deputy Head of the Planning–Architecture Division under the Department of Construction, said that during 2025–2026, the city will review the current status, integrate data from existing plans, and define the vision and spatial orientation to prepare a master plan for submission to the Prime Minister for approval.
In 2026 and 2027, the city will carry out planning, surveys, option development, and consultations with stakeholders, and finalize the plan for submission to the Prime Minister, ensuring that “planning leads, projects follow.”
From the perspective of urban space expansion, the new plan holds significant importance. Architect Vo Quoc Thai, Chairman of the city Architects’ Association, emphasized the need for research and review of each locality’s individual master plan, which would then be consolidated into the city’s overall master plan. The highlight should be a seaport urban area, with interconnected urban ones aligned with strategic economic development directions, maximizing the advantages of each region.
According to MA. Nguyen Van Minh, Deputy Head of the Faculty of Economics–Management at Thanh Dong University, the new plan is an opportunity to restructure the city’s socio-economic development space in a modern and sustainable direction, creating new multi-centered urban areas.
The development of a new master plan, including urban planning across both western and eastern Hai Phong, will effectively contribute to building Hai Phong by 2030 into a modern, civilized, ecological, and livable industrial port city of regional scale in Southeast Asia, in line with the goal set by the city Party Committee.
AN PHUC