Series of Violations in the Hoan Son Residential Project, Tien Du, Bac Ninh

The People's Committee of Tien Du district (Bac Ninh province) has identified a series of existing shortcomings in the Hoan Son Residential Area Project, which is owned and developed by Hanoi Housing Construction and Development Corporation. These include the incorrect construction of some villa lots and the conversion of four 6-storey buildings into rental rooms without meeting the fire safety requirements.

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After several attempts, multiple days of contacting Mr. Nguyen Trong Thinh, Head of the People’s Council – People’s Committee of Tien Du District to obtain information about the existing shortcomings at the Residential Area Project in Hoan Son commune, which is invested and developed by Hanoi Housing Development and Investment Corporation, the reporter finally received document number 1752 from the Tien Du District People’s Committee regarding the management, inspection, and handling of construction violations against the planning at the Residential Area Project in Hoan Son commune, signed by Mr. Nguyen Cong Ky – Vice Chairman of the Tien Du District People’s Committee.

Accordingly, the Residential Area Project in Hoan Son commune is invested and developed by Hanoi Housing Development and Investment Corporation with a scale of more than 8 hectares, including 234 villas and townhouses (42,090m2); green parks (4,262m2); public works, office buildings (1,620m2); transportation land (26,929m2); technical exchange land (1,424m2).

Overall view of the project

The current status is that the Residential Area in Hoan Son commune has been under construction with 234 houses (in raw form), some of which have been handed over to residents for completion and habitation. The project’s technical infrastructure includes foundation construction, road traffic, system of water supply and drainage, lighting power system, electricity for daily use, etc., which have been built but not regularly maintained and repaired, resulting in its deterioration.

“Since the project has been implemented for a long time, there is no basis to determine the initial objective of whether the investor is required to hand over the technical infrastructure that they have invested and built back to the local authorities for management. During the working process, the investor did not cooperate in providing related project documents such as design profiles, approved estimates, as-built records, etc.” – Mr. Nguyen Cong Ky clarified.

Overview of the two buildings transformed into mini apartments (rental accommodations)

In the process of implementing state management in the district for the Residential Area Project in Hoan Son commune, the Tien Du District People’s Committee has instructed multiple inspections and reviews of the construction situation of households within the project. On January 6, 2022, during a meeting with the relevant departments and localities, the investor (Hanoi Housing Development and Investment Corporation) was requested to review and compile documents, assess the current quality of the works, and continue to manage and operate them. However, until now, the investor has not provided the related documents, nor implemented project management and construction order within the project boundaries.

Regarding the construction violations against the planning in some villa lots of the project, as observed in the status check of the 05 villa lots, they have been transformed into 04 buildings with 06 floors, consisting of approximately 115 rental rooms. At the time of inspection according to the report of the residential area management, about 140 people were living there. The buildings have installed fire alarm systems, fireproof walls, and portable fire extinguishers, but have not been tested and accepted for fire prevention and fighting.

The inspection team has demanded that the house owners stop renting out the rooms, and hang notices stating that the rooms do not meet the conditions for fire safety at the entrance of each house. The Hoan Son commune People’s Committee is required to regularly inspect and guarantee fire safety and prevention in the project area. However, according to the actual observations of VOV Online’s reporter, the staff of Hanoi By Night Villa Hoan Son continues to actively seek customers, prioritizing economic benefits over the safety and lives of the tenants.

Staff members continuing to seek customers despite not meeting the fire safety requirements for the rental accommodations

In the long term, although the project has been implemented for many years, the sparsely populated area and many deteriorated houses have a negative impact on the living environment and landscape of the area.

Currently, the legal status as well as the necessary conditions for handing over the project’s technical infrastructure are not clear. The Tien Du District People’s Committee has not received legal documents, planning documents, and project documents, which have made it difficult to manage and inspect and handle the violations.

“During the operation and management of the Residential Area Project in Hoan Son commune, the investor (Hanoi Housing Development and Investment Corporation) did not proactively cooperate with the local authorities (Tien Du District People’s Committee, Hoan Son commune People’s Committee), resulting in difficulties in managing construction order and planning. The management of the Residential Area, regular inspections and supervision by the investor have been lax, leading to many households arbitrarily constructing unauthorized and non-compliant works within the project” – informed the Tien Du District People’s Committee.

After nearly 20 years, many villas have not been completed and have become deteriorated, making the area increasingly desolate

To ensure the management of construction order and planning in the Residential Area Project in Hoan Son commune, stabilize the lives of residents, and create a healthy environment in the area, the Tien Du District People’s Committee proposes that the Bac Ninh provincial People’s Committee direct the relevant departments in resolving difficulties and obstacles for the early completion of the Residential Area Project in Hoan Son commune. Clarify the project’s legal status (whether the investor manages and operates it or hands it over to the local authorities for management), and conduct comprehensive inspections of the project if necessary.

At the same time, the Tien Du District People’s Committee requests the Bac Ninh Department of Construction to cooperate in retrieving the Planning documents and Project documents (the Tien Du District People’s Committee has requested many times but the investor has not provided them) as a basis for management, inspection, and determination of violations.

The Tien Du District People’s Committee also requests Hanoi Housing Development and Investment Corporation to maintain a management system to promptly inspect, supervise, and support residents within the project area. Implement the completion of the project’s technical infrastructure, regularly maintain and repair it, and address any shortcomings or damages to ensure the stable living conditions for the residents.