Inspectorate of Can Tho City Uncovers Series of Violations in Five Delayed Projects Across the Area

Recently, the Can Tho City Inspectorate announced the inspection results of several projects facing difficulties, obstacles, and delays within the city.

Specifically, in accordance with Decision No. 109/QĐ-TTr dated July 30, 2025, issued by the Chief Inspector of Can Tho City regarding the inspection of projects with difficulties, obstacles, and delays, the inspection team conducted the inspection from August 1, 2025, to September 8, 2025.

The inspection covered five projects: Thuong Thanh New Urban Area (Hoang Quan Can Tho Real Estate Investment Joint Stock Company); Con Khuong New Urban Area (An Khuong Real Estate Limited Liability Company); STK An Binh New Urban Area (STK Investment Joint Stock Company); International Convention Center, Multi-functional Buildings, and Public Entertainment Area (IN Hospitality Joint Stock Company); and the Expansion and Development of Thoi Lai New Urban Area and Upgrade of the Existing Thoi Lai Market – Phase 2 (Mekong Construction and Tourism Investment Joint Stock Company).

According to the inspection conclusion, all five projects were approved for investment by the former People’s Committee of Can Tho City during 2015-2017 under the land use plan until 2020, using the method of designating investors without going through a bidding process as required.

The inspection revealed that the People’s Committee of Can Tho City’s approval of the investment policy for the projects was within its authority as per the 2014 Investment Law. However, the People’s Committee applied the method of designating investors in the investment policy decision while the investors did not yet have land use rights as stipulated in point c, clause 2, Article 22 of the 2014 Housing Law. This led to the inability to determine the value to be paid to the state budget based on the investors’ proposals in the bidding documents, resulting in significant delays. The projects have exceeded their original implementation deadlines but have not yet been completed and put into use.

Regarding land recovery procedures, compensation policies, site clearance, and resettlement support, according to the report from the City Land Development Fund Center, the STK An Binh New Urban Area project has basically completed site clearance and handed over the land to the investor for implementation. The remaining four projects have not yet completed site clearance. The main reasons for the delay in site clearance include some households not agreeing to allow the site clearance organization to conduct inventory checks, and some households, although having approved compensation plans, have not agreed to receive compensation and hand over the land.

At the time of inspection, all five projects had not yet had their land use fees or land rent determined by the specialized agency advising the People’s Committee of Can Tho City.

Additionally, the inspection agency pointed out several limitations and shortcomings in the formulation, appraisal, approval of detailed construction planning, land allocation, land leasing, land use purpose conversion, and during the implementation of the projects.

Specific details for each project are as follows:

Thuong Thanh New Urban Area Project:

The project area does not yet have a 1/2000 zoning plan. Therefore, there is insufficient basis to determine the boundaries of the mixed-use land area and assess its compliance with the general plan.

At the time of investment policy approval, the land location for the project did not align with the land use planning and plan (due to the absence of residential land planning).

The primary responsibility for these limitations, shortcomings, and violations lies with the former Department of Planning and Investment (individuals involved in advising and submitting the investment policy decision to the People’s Committee of Can Tho City). Additionally, the former leadership of the People’s Committee of Can Tho City (those who signed and issued the investment policy decision) also bear responsibility.

The investor organized the groundbreaking and construction of the project before it was approved and without approved construction drawings, violating the conditions for commencement.

Con Khuong New Urban Area Project:

The Ministry of Construction’s Inspection Conclusion No. 178/KL-TTr dated April 26, 2019, identified limitations and shortcomings in the formulation, appraisal, approval, and implementation of detailed construction planning, as well as in the review and adjustment of detailed construction planning.

The investor organized the groundbreaking and construction of the project before it was approved and without approved construction drawings, violating the conditions for commencement.

STK An Binh New Urban Area Project:

The Ministry of Construction’s Inspection Conclusion No. 178/KL-TTr dated April 26, 2019, identified limitations and shortcomings in the formulation, appraisal, approval, and implementation of detailed construction planning, as well as in the review and adjustment of detailed construction planning.

The investor has not yet organized the approval of the adjusted construction investment project as required by the 2014 Construction Law.

The recovery of rice land from affected households without the area of rice land allowed for conversion being reflected in the resolution appended to the City People’s Council’s resolution does not comply with regulations. Additionally, the determination of financial obligations to deduct compensation for the STK An Binh New Urban Area Project has one case where 50% of the land use fee to be paid was not deducted from the compensation, which is not in accordance with point a, clause 2, Article 20 of Decree No. 43/2014/NĐ-CP and point a, clause 1, Article 7 of Decree No. 45/2014/NĐ-CP.

STK Investment Joint Stock Company has not yet completed the procedures for declaring and paying the agricultural land development fee after being allocated land by the state.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment advised the People’s Committee of Can Tho City on matters such as deciding to allocate land to investors without specifying the land use term; submitting to the City People’s Council for the issuance of a resolution allowing land use conversion without indicating the area of rice land; and allocating land in phases according to the site clearance progress, which is not in compliance with regulations.

Furthermore, this department did not advise on determining specific land prices to calculate land use fees at the time of land allocation and leasing, which is not in accordance with clause 3, Article 108 of the 2013 Land Law.

International Convention Center, Multi-functional Buildings, and Public Entertainment Area Project:

The investor conducted community consultations on the planning proposal simultaneously with consultations on the planning task, which does not ensure compliance with procedural regulations.

Expansion and Development of Thoi Lai New Urban Area and Upgrade of the Existing Thoi Lai Market (Phase 2) Project:

The investor conducted community consultations on the planning proposal simultaneously with consultations on the planning task, which does not ensure compliance with procedural regulations; and did not prepare the boundary marker installation task file and boundary marker installation file as required.

Additionally, the investor approved the basic design and construction drawings without having received the appraisal results notification and without completing the dossier as required by the appraising agency; requested permission to sell 114 future commercial townhouses without reviewing the project’s progress according to the investment approval decision. The time when the Department of Construction provided approval in Official Letter No. 177/SXD-QLN dated January 18, 2021, was during the project’s investment deadline and before the extension (the project was extended until the end of 2022 in June 2021).

Commencing construction without a construction permit (before January 1, 2021, not belonging to projects exempt from construction permits) and without approved construction drawings violates regulations. Upon inspection at the project site, it was found that some construction items do not comply with the approved planning and design.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment advised the People’s Committee of Can Tho City to decide on land allocation to investors without specifying the land use term, which is not in compliance with regulations; did not advise on determining specific land prices to calculate land use fees at the time of land allocation and leasing, which is not in accordance with clause 3, Article 108 of the 2013 Land Law. Advising the People’s Committee of Can Tho City to allocate land in phases according to the site clearance progress does not ensure a legal basis.