The driving force from urbanization in eastern Quang Nam province.

Most urban, residential, and commercial housing projects in the Dien Nam - Dien Ngoc new urban area are primarily focused on land subdivision and sale, lacking model urban development projects. Photo: Tuan Cong

Lessons from new cities

After more than 20 years of development, it can be said that the Dien Nam - Dien Ngoc new urban area (Dien Ban) has left many lessons for the urban development process of Quang Nam .

According to the Department of Construction, in the Dien Nam - Dien Ngoc new urban area, there are several projects that were approved for investment more than 10 years ago but have not yet been completed.

Most urban, residential, and commercial housing projects primarily involve subdividing land for sale, lacking model urban development projects. The occupancy rate in urban and residential areas is quite low, leading to a waste of social resources and land.

Two years after the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee requested Dien Ban district to take the lead and coordinate with the Department of Construction to comprehensively review and report on all projects in the Dien Nam - Dien Ngoc new urban area, everything remains unfinished.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Ha, Vice Chairman of the Dien Ban Town People's Committee, said that the town is still in the process of classifying projects. Most projects assessed by the local authorities as belonging to group 2 (those with the potential for land clearance and community support in land clearance) are currently behind schedule and not included in the land use plan. Resolving this issue depends on the provincial government's decision.

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“In the development planning of coastal cities, especially new cities in Quang Nam, it is necessary to simultaneously and comprehensively implement three aspects: exploiting the marine space and natural resources; exploiting the coastal area and coastal landscape in the most appropriate way; and focusing on ‘logistics, connectivity’ and ‘markets’ for the marine economy . Only then can we create a truly meaningful and substantial coastal urban strip as expected by the plan.”
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hoang Manh Nguyen - President of the Institute of Green Urban Science and Technology

Addressing the fundamental limitations that still exist in the Dien Nam - Dien Ngoc new urban area will take a considerable amount of time. Equally important is preventing this scenario from recurring in other new urban areas, especially in the eastern region.

The Duy Hai - Duy Nghia new urban area (Duy Xuyen district) has also faced many obstacles in recent years, most notably the fact that many households in the project area have been unable to relocate, and some resettlement areas have remained unfinished for a long time.

Most resettlement areas in Duy Hai - Duy Nghia lack complete basic infrastructure. Photo: Tuan Cong

This situation reflects the fact that the process of creating clean land funds and arranging resettlement in many localities is still reactive and not considered the first issue to be addressed in the project implementation process, affecting compensation, land clearance, and the selection and attraction of investors for urban development projects.

Furthermore, the investment in constructing resettlement areas is inadequate, with inconsistent infrastructure, affecting the rights of people relocated to these areas.

Recently, the Provincial People's Committee has handed over the existing status quo and provided financial support to Duy Xuyen district to continue completing 6 unfinished resettlement area projects to serve the development process of the new Duy Hai - Duy Nghia urban area.

With a relatively low urbanization rate, the formation of new cities at a faster pace and on a larger scale in the coming period is an inevitable trend, especially in the eastern region.

Lessons learned from the mistakes of earlier urban developments have been used to find effective solutions to address the problems encountered during urbanization in recent years.

For example, the ongoing Dien Ban coastal residential relocation project is considered to be on the right track, avoiding past mistakes and aiming for a more systematic and harmonious urban planning. According to Mr. Nguyen Xuan Ha, it is estimated that more than 2,400 households with over 10,700 people are located within the project's current scope.

This project will help to comprehensively review which areas are suitable for tourism and service projects, and which areas require resettlement and relocation of residents... in order to improve the urban landscape. Currently, the coastal urban sub-area (where the resettlement project is being implemented) is also being identified by Dien Ban as a priority in urban development in the coming period.

Adapting to climate change

Climate-adaptive urban development is a matter of our time, and urban areas in eastern Quang Nam province are no exception to this trend.

Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Hong Tien - former Director of the Department of Technical Infrastructure (Ministry of Construction) - stated that coastal cities in Quang Nam are suffering from the impacts of four main disasters related to climate change.

These include: storm hazards accompanied by heavy rain creating large waves that can destroy shorelines and nearshore structures (including transportation infrastructure); floods and inundation; storm surges; and erosion and sedimentation along riverbanks and coastlines. Therefore, urban construction and infrastructure development in general, and coastal areas in particular, must take into account these specific factors and the aforementioned climate change hazards.

Tam Ky currently allocates significant resources to addressing climate change in urban development. Photo: Tuan Cong

According to the strategic environmental assessment report of the Quang Nam provincial planning, the projected increase in average annual temperature in Quang Nam by the middle of this century is 1.8 degrees Celsius. Average annual rainfall is trending upwards by about 18%. The number of strong and very strong storms is also trending upwards. Therefore, it is inevitable that many houses, fishing ports, bridges, roads, and coastal tourist areas in the eastern region will be severely impacted by climate change.

In addition to its long-standing commitment to green urban development, Tam Ky has been paying close attention to climate change adaptation. Tam Ky City is currently one of two cities in Vietnam selected to pilot the "Project for Effective and Climate-Friendly Cooling in Urban Areas in Vietnam".

Regarding flood response, Mr. Tran Trung Hau, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Tam Ky City, informed: "Currently, the urban drainage project has been completed, serving as the basis for finalizing the dossiers of projects aimed at improving the drainage capacity of the urban area."

For example: The drainage system in the area of the Provincial Radio and Television Station to the ADB canal, the underground drainage canal along Trung Nu Vuong Street, upgrading the canal from the Bank Bridge to Bach Dang Street… In addition, the provincial plan has also directed the construction of a saltwater intrusion prevention and freshwater retention dam on the Ban Thach River for multi-purpose use.”

Hoi An is also a city predicted to be heavily impacted by climate change. Recently, the Provincial People's Committee requested Hoi An to update specific and detailed management regulations to serve as a basis for implementing zoning plans and detailed plans for sensitive areas such as the Old Town, the Thu Bon River embankment area, sandbanks in and along the river, the mangrove forest area, and the coastal area, incorporating them into the city's master plan before submitting it to the Provincial Party Standing Committee.

For sandbanks and islets whose current exploitation status has not been assessed or which have not yet been exploited, priority should be given to creating green parks and reducing the proportion of commercial and service activities.

According to the People's Committee of Dien Ban town, in the urban development program until 2030 and 2045, the locality has also proposed three new major programs and projects related to climate change adaptation for urban areas.

This includes: A collaborative project with international partners on climate change adaptation in Dien Ban town; a plan to build storm- and flood-resistant housing for low-lying areas; and a program to adapt to flooding caused by heavy rain, high tides, and sea level rise in coastal urban areas.

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