Concerns about a new urban area

An aerial view of the new Dien Nam - Dien Ngoc urban area. Photo: QUOC TUAN

Many expectations, many unfulfilled dreams.

Immediately after the re-establishment of Quang Nam province (in 1997), the Dien Nam - Dien Ngoc new urban planning scheme was also created (approved by the Prime Minister in 1999 and implemented in 2003), carrying with it great expectations for a new urban area with a rather advantageous location.

Located midway between the former Da Nang city and the former Hoi An city, the Dien Nam - Dien Ngoc new urban area is envisioned to become a center for industry, services, education and training , tourism, and recreation for Quang Nam province and the Central region.

After more than 25 years, the three once barren sandy communes of the former Dien Ban district (now Dien Ban Dong ward) have transformed into urban areas. However, due to a lack of systematic coordination, the new urban landscape of Dien Nam - Dien Ngoc has not met expectations.

According to statistics from the People's Committee of Dien Ban town (formerly) before the abolition of the district-level local government model, in the Dien Nam - Dien Ngoc new urban area alone, there were more than 70 investment projects for housing construction and residential areas, urban areas, and coastal tourism services underway, many of which were left unfinished for many years.

There are projects that received investment approval a decade ago but remain stalled, leading to a waste of land resources. The planning is left in limbo, with deadlines constantly being extended, leaving hundreds of households in the area in a difficult situation, unable to move or stay.

More complicatedly, the allure of this stretch of sand has led many investors to ignore unclear legal warnings, resulting in financial losses and prolonged disputes and lawsuits.

In recent years, the People's Committee of Quang Nam province (formerly) has issued many decisive directives on comprehensively reviewing and classifying projects in the Dien Nam - Dien Ngoc new urban area to weed out unfeasible projects and free up space for urban beautification. Positive signs have emerged since the beginning of 2025 when some urban projects involved in protracted litigation have found solutions.

According to Tran Nam Hung, Vice Chairman of the Da Nang City People's Committee, all delayed projects in the Dien Nam - Dien Ngoc new urban area will have specific plans and timelines for completion. The implementation of solutions will be carried out synchronously and decisively across the entire new urban area, not just for any particular project.

Wait for the new effect.

The merger of Quang Nam province and Da Nang city could be a turning point, creating new vitality for the Dien Nam - Dien Ngoc urban area. Dien Ban Dong ward (where the new Dien Nam - Dien Ngoc urban area is located) is the transition point for Da Nang's urban space to move southward before connecting with Hoi An city and the former eastern Quang Nam region.

The merger of Quang Nam and Da Nang city is expected to expedite the completion of the dredging of the Co Co River, thereby creating new vitality for the new Dien Nam - Dien Ngoc urban area. Photo: QUOC TUAN

At the recent seminar "Investment Opportunities in Da Nang Real Estate After the Merger," Associate Professor Dr. Tran Dinh Thien - former Director of the Vietnam Institute of Economics - argued that the merger of Quang Nam and Da Nang will create a significant synergy in urban development, leveraging the advantages of both sides.

The new Da Nang city shares the same special mechanisms as the old Da Nang city, which will help areas of the former Quang Nam province quickly spread development energy, potentially starting with the real estate sector.

According to the general opinion of investors, the key "bottleneck" that has kept the Dien Nam - Dien Ngoc urban area stagnant for so long stems from the Co Co River. It's quite unique that the Co Co River flows through the heart of this new urban area, and approximately 5km of this section is also the part of the river that is currently being silted up.

The former Quang Nam province has spent over 900 billion VND on dredging and developing the infrastructure of the Co Co River, so the task of clearing this unique waterway cannot be left unfinished.

Some investors who have been cautiously implementing projects in the past hope that the merger of the two localities will help bring the dredging of the Co Co River to completion sooner. Once the Co Co River is dredged, the value and benefits of projects on both banks will inevitably be enhanced. This will encourage investors to resolutely complete their projects. This will also indirectly add a "bright color" to the new Dien Nam - Dien Ngoc urban area.

Source: https://baodanang.vn/tran-tro-mot-vung-do-thi-moi-3265629.html