The Capital’s Resolve: Expediting Delayed External-Capital Projects Involving Land

The Hanoi People’s Committee has recently reported on the results of implementing Resolution No. 04/NQ-HĐND dated April 8, 2022, of the Hanoi People’s Council and Plan No. 160/KH-UBND dated June 8, 2022, on measures to expedite investment and address the delays in capital-external budget projects utilizing land in the city (as of November 2024).

Accordingly, the Hanoi People’s Committee identified 712 capital-external budget projects with land use delays and formulated a plan to handle and resolve them. As of November 2024, the cumulative results show that 706 projects (99.2%) spanning 11,352 hectares of land have been scrutinized, with conclusions drawn from inspections, audits, and post-audits. The authorities have directed the handling of these cases, ordering units to continue monitoring and expediting the implementation, investment, and land utilization. Meanwhile, six projects (0.8%) covering 81.6 hectares of land have received in-principle decisions but are yet to be allocated land or leased land by the State. The Department of Planning and Investment is currently inspecting and proposing specific handling solutions for these cases.

The specific outcomes for the 712 projects are as follows: 420 projects, encompassing 9,095.6 hectares of land, have been removed from the list of delayed projects but remain under supervision as per legal regulations (a net increase of 10 projects compared to the first six months of 2024).

292 projects, covering 2,337.9 hectares of land, are under continued supervision, with post-inspections conducted after a 24-month extension due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an uncontrollable reason as per legal regulations (a net decrease of 10 projects compared to the first six months of 2024). Among these: 97 projects, spanning 318.4 hectares of land, are delayed in terms of progress and land utilization. The Hanoi People’s Committee has decided to extend the land use period by 24 months, and the investors must pay the State an amount corresponding to the land use or land rental fees for this extended period. (Of these, 42 projects had their extension period prolonged due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as per legal regulations).

189 projects, covering 1,937.9 hectares of land, have undergone inspections, audits, and post-audits. The Hanoi People’s Committee has instructed the city’s departments, sectors, and People’s Committees of districts, counties, and towns to monitor and urge the implementation of each project.

Six projects, spanning 81.6 hectares of land, have received in-principle decisions but are yet to be allocated land or leased land by the State. The Department of Planning and Investment is inspecting and will propose specific handling solutions. The Hanoi People’s Committee has directed the city’s departments, sectors, and People’s Committees of districts, counties, and towns to proactively review, organize inspection teams, and conclude each project.

Regarding the 117 capital-external budget projects with land use delays identified by the People’s Committees of districts, counties, and towns, the results are as follows:

For the 71 projects without land allocation or lease decisions, the Hanoi Department of Planning and Investment has collected data, conducted reviews, assessments, and categorizations, and removed three projects from the delayed list due to completion or non-formation. Three projects were terminated, five were urged to continue, and 36 are undergoing inspections and legal consolidation, with proposals for handling expected. Additionally, 24 projects are being supervised, urged, and monitored by relevant city departments and district-level People’s Committees, in accordance with their functions and tasks.

On July 10, 2024, the Hanoi People’s Committee issued Decision No. 3579/QĐ-UBND to establish an inter-sectoral inspection team to examine compliance with land-related legal provisions and the implementation of inspection conclusions and post-inspection directions for these projects.

The inter-sectoral team proposed removing two projects, covering 1.3 hectares of land, from the delayed list as they either had no projects formed or had rectified the issues and commenced construction.

One project, spanning 2.9 hectares of land, faced delays in progress and land utilization. The Hanoi People’s Committee decided to extend the land use period by 24 months, and the investor must pay the State an amount corresponding to the land use or land rental fees for this extended period.

Four projects, covering 90 hectares of land, have undergone inspections, audits, and post-audits. The Hanoi People’s Committee has directed the city’s departments, sectors, and People’s Committees of districts, counties, and towns to monitor and urge their implementation.

For the 39 projects covering 1,373.7 hectares of land, the inter-sectoral team has conducted inspections and is in the process of concluding (expected to report to the Hanoi People’s Committee in early December 2024, as per legal regulations). (See Table 3 for details).

Previously, the Hanoi People’s Committee handled seven projects that ceased operations, as mentioned in Document No. 3379/ KH&ĐT-ĐT dated July 26, 2022 (consolidated in Report No. 201/BC-UBND dated June 20, 2022, of the Hanoi People’s Committee).

These projects include the Interpol Officer Housing project, Minh Quang Bac Urban Area project, Minh Quang Nam Urban Area project (mostly located in Thuong Tin district), BMC Thang Long New Urban Area project (Me Linh), Prime Group New Urban Area project (Dai Thinh Eco-Urban Area) in Me Linh, Viet A New Urban Area project, and Phuong Vien Housing project (Me Linh).

Fourteen projects were terminated, ceased operations, or had their investors removed: One project, the Vietracimex Eco-Urban Area in Me Linh, was approved by the Hanoi People’s Committee to be removed from the monitoring list. Two projects completed the termination process: the Auction of Land Use Right for Lot I-A1 for High-Rise Housing Construction (Dong Anh) and the Construction of the Khương Đình Trade Center (Thanh Xuan).

For two projects, the investors are in the process of completing the termination procedures: the Hanoi Western Slaughterhouse and Meat Processing Plant project and the Office for Lease, Supermarket, and Kindergarten Complex project.

One project, the Phu Lam Commercial, Service, and High-End Apartment Complex in Ha Dong district, was directed to be halted by the Hanoi People’s Committee due to its inconsistency with the master plan.

One project, the Son Dong – City Land Functional Urban Area (formerly known as the Son Dong New Urban Area – Cityland), was previously assigned an investor by the People’s Committee of Ha Tay province (now Hanoi) but has not been approved, allocated land, or commenced investment. The Hanoi People’s Committee has directed the study of master planning and the organization of bidding to select investors.

Seven projects were previously assigned investors by the People’s Committee of Ha Tay province (now Hanoi) but have not been approved, allocated land, or commenced investment. The Hanoi Department of Planning and Architecture reported that the investors were procrastinating and failing to comply with procedures: