Construction halted due to procedural issues.

At noon on May 22nd, we were present at the construction site of the Investment Project to build a complex of commercial centers, entertainment facilities, a 5-star hotel, and office space for rent to carry out urban renovation in the Cho Sat area (Cho Sat Commercial Center Project) with a total investment capital of over 6,000 billion VND in Phan Boi Chau ward, Hong Bang district, Hai Phong city.

More than two years after the groundbreaking ceremony (May 14, 2022), the Iron Market Shopping Center Project remains just an empty plot of land. The site of the Iron Market – once a famous commercial symbol of Hai Phong – has now become a construction site cluttered with excavators, cranes, and drills.

Many Hai Phong residents have expressed concern that the long-stalled project is wasting land resources, especially in prime locations in the heart of the city. Furthermore, it negatively impacts urban aesthetics and the city's image.

The investor of the new Iron Market Shopping Center project has just completed some underground construction (Photo: Thai Phan).

Speaking to Nguoi Dua Tin , a representative of the investor of the Cho Sat Shopping Center Project (Saigon Match and Cigarette Joint Stock Company) stated that, to date, the company has completed less than 20% of the work.

Completed tasks include: Geological survey drilling for design purposes, and the construction of test piles. Simultaneously, a plan for constructing a retaining wall has been developed to ensure the geological stability of the surrounding area.

The main reason the investor has not yet started construction on the project is related to the procedures for appraising the feasibility report for the construction investment.

Specifically, after organizing the architectural design competition for the Cho Sat Shopping Center Project, on May 6, 2022, the investor issued a decision approving the competition results. Then, on December 30, 2022, the People's Committee of Hai Phong City issued Document No. 5996/VP-XD3 accepting the architectural design chosen by the investor through the competition.

Previously, on September 13, 2020, the Hai Phong Department of Construction issued Document No. 3777/SXD-QHKT approving the overall layout of the Cho Sat Commercial Center Project. Subsequently, the investor completed the feasibility study report and submitted it to the Ministry of Construction for appraisal.

On April 11, 2023, the Ministry of Construction issued Document No. 406/HĐXD-KT regarding the temporary suspension of appraisal due to the lack of a plan for managing urban underground construction space in the submitted documents.

On October 24, 2023, the People's Committee of Hai Phong City issued Decision No. 3413/QD-UBND approving the partial adjustment of Lot H5.2/CC-2 in the revised detailed planning project at a scale of 1/2,000 for Hong Bang District and its expansion until 2025 (second revision). This included the addition of a plan for managing urban underground construction space with two basement levels.

The investor resubmitted the application to the Ministry of Construction. Subsequently, the Ministry of Construction issued Document No. 1430/HĐXD-KT rejecting the appraisal because the application lacked the planning required by Decree 35/2023/NĐ-CP.

More than two years after its groundbreaking, the Iron Market Shopping Center Project remains stalled due to procedural obstacles (Photo: Thai Phan).

The shopping mall project to replace the Iron Market - a former commercial symbol of Hai Phong - is currently still an empty plot of land (Photo: Thai Phan).

In addition to the aforementioned issues, according to a representative of Saigon Match and Cigarette Joint Stock Company, on April 28, 2023, the Fire Prevention, Fighting and Rescue Police Department ( Ministry of Public Security ) issued Document No. 1026/PCCC&CNCH-P4 providing feedback on fire prevention and fighting regarding the basic design dossier.

To date, the investor of the Cho Sat Shopping Center Project has revised the basic design documents according to the feedback from the Fire Prevention, Fighting and Rescue Police Department (Ministry of Public Security), and has added the planning as stipulated in Decree 35/2023/ND-CP.

“In April 2024, the investor submitted the feasibility study report for the construction project to the Ministry of Construction for re-evaluation. Immediately after receiving approval, construction will begin to ensure the project's progress.”

"Every day the Iron Market Shopping Mall project is delayed, the investor suffers losses because a large amount of money has been invested in the project, including over 1,000 billion VND paid as a one-time land lease fee (for 50 years). We earnestly hope that the central and Hai Phong city authorities will soon approve the procedures according to regulations so that construction can continue," said a representative of Saigon Match and Cigarette Joint Stock Company .

The Iron Market Shopping Mall project has a total investment of over 6,000 billion VND, with Saigon Match and Cigarette Joint Stock Company as the investor. The project consists of two 40-story towers and two basement levels, built on an area of ​​1.5 hectares. The building density for the podium is over 46%, the towers are 40%, and the building height is nearly 150 meters.

Upon completion and operation, the project is expected to have multiple functions: a shopping mall, entertainment center, 5-star hotel, and office space for rent. In addition, the project will address the shortage of food services, tourism, parking, and many other services for local residents and tourists.

Source: https://www.nguoiduatin.vn/du-an-tttm-6-000-ty-tai-hai-phong-dung-thi-cong-do-vuong-thu-tuc-a664798.html