A cross-section from the new urban area.

The Dien Nam - Dien Ngoc new urban area still faces many challenges in completing its basic infrastructure and urban appearance. Photo: QT

A chaotic new urban landscape.

Dien Nam - Dien Ngoc (Dien Ban town) is currently the only truly new urban area in the province. However, after about a quarter of a century of formation and development, Dien Nam - Dien Ngoc is still struggling to complete its basic infrastructure and urban appearance.

Since June 2024 alone, the Quang Nam Provincial People's Committee has adjusted the implementation schedule and issued ultimatums to more than 10 delayed urban development projects in the area. In addition, dozens of other projects are progressing slowly, leaving their fate uncertain.

New urban areas are a crucial driving force for promoting the province's urbanization process, significantly contributing to the goal of increasing the urbanization rate in Quang Nam to over 37% by 2025 and over 40% by 2030.

The Quang Nam Provincial Planning for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, has been approved, establishing that by 2025, four new urban areas will be formed in the province: Duy Nghia - Duy Hai (Duy Xuyen), Binh Minh (Thang Binh), Dai Hiep (Dai Loc), and Tam Dan (Phu Ninh). However, as time draws to a close in 2024, everything remains in disarray.

Among these areas, Duy Hai - Duy Nghia shares the most similarities with the Dien Nam - Dien Ngoc new urban area. Located in coastal areas, adjacent to already vibrant urban developments, both Duy Hai - Duy Nghia and Dien Nam - Dien Ngoc have planning boundaries that extend beyond the scope of a single commune/ward-level administrative unit.

However, Duy Hai - Duy Nghia also has many outstanding issues, mainly related to planning and land use, which need to be addressed promptly to avoid repeating the vicious cycle seen in the Dien Nam - Dien Ngoc new urban area.

Mr. Nguyen Van Hoang, Head of the Economic and Infrastructure Department of Duy Xuyen District, said that in the past, people have often implicitly considered Duy Hai - Duy Nghia as an urban area. However, this area is not yet an urban area because it lacks the necessary legal status.

In reality, the technical infrastructure in Duy Hai - Duy Nghia is only stable in the resettlement areas and within the Nam Hoi An project area. In the remaining areas, although Duy Xuyen district has invested quite a lot, the technical infrastructure still falls short of urban standards.

Confused about the concept of a new city.

Currently, the definition of urban areas in the draft Law on Urban and Rural Planning differs from the 2009 Law on Urban Planning. According to the Law on Urban Planning, urban areas are defined simply and concisely as cities, towns, and townships.

Duy Hai - Duy Nghia is not yet a new urban area, and the technical infrastructure in many places here does not meet urban standards. Photo: QT

According to the draft Law on Urban and Rural Planning, the concept of an urban area is defined as a place with a high population density, primarily engaged in non-agricultural economic activities; it is a political , administrative, economic, cultural, or specialized center that plays a role in promoting the socio-economic development of the nation or a region.

According to Mr. Ngo Ngoc Hung, Deputy Director of the Department of Construction, the old regulations on urban areas were linked to administrative levels, while the new regulations are quite abstract and difficult to define. Furthermore, the concept of a new urban area, as one projected to form in the future, contradicts the definition of an urban area mentioned above.

"The term 'new urban area' should be understood as completely new, not developed on any existing foundation. Currently, urban areas that develop from district centers to towns or from towns to cities already have the appearance of streets, so they should not be included in the concept of 'new urban areas'."

"New towns formed in Quang Nam, such as To Vieng (Tay Giang), will soon be considered new urban areas. At that time, the procedures for planning new urban areas will be very complex; any procedure to be implemented will require approval from the Ministry of Construction," Mr. Hung said.

In the coming years, many rural areas in the province will transform into cities in line with urbanization goals and the laws of social development. Determining whether these are urban areas or newly developed urban areas will significantly impact the planning, management, and development of these urban centers. For most city dwellers, naturally, their greatest concern remains the quality of life in their residential areas…

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/lat-cat-tu-do-thi-moi-3142676.html