MINISTRY OF EDUCATION & TRAINING MINISTRY OF CONSTRUCTION
HANOI ARCHITECTURAL UNIVERSITY

Nguyễn Thanh Quang

DEVELOPMENT CONTROL FOR CENTRAL AREA OF
HO CHI MINH CITY IN THE INTEGRATION
CONTEXT Major in Urban and Building Management

Code 62.58.01.06
PH.D. THESIS IN BRIEF
HANOI, 2013

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This thesis has been completed in HANOI ARCHITECTURAL
UNIVERSITY

Supervisor: Professor Đỗ Hậu

lồng ghép các yếu tố biến đổi khí hậu vào công tác quy hoạch đô
thị ở Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh”, năm 2009 – 2013, research
member.
 Articles:
1. Toàn cầu hóa sự phát triển không gian của Trung tâm thành phố
Hồ Chí Minh – The “Quy hoạch Xây dựng” Journal - The
institute for Architecture and Urban and Rural Planning, No.33
(7) 2008.
2. Bức tranh phát triển và quản lý đô thị dưới tác động của hội nhập
quốc tế - The “Quy hoạch Xây dựng” Journal - The institute for
Architecture and Urban and Rural Planning, No. 60, 2012.
3. Giải pháp tăng cường kiểm soát phát triển khu trung tâm thành
phố Hồ Chí Minh – The Journal of Construction, no.2, 2013.
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A. INTRODUCTION
1. Necessity of the research
The market economy and international integration, together
with promotion of industrialization and modernization has created
many powerful forces for social and economic development in
general and our country’s urban centers in particular. Thank to the
outstanding competitiveness compared with other regions, the urban
center is the most attractive to lure the interest of investors and
developers in commercial and service sectors. For these reasons, the
development of building are strongly surged and diversified in terms
of number and shape that made the urban management become more
complicated. The management is sometimes exceeded the control of
local government and its agencies, negatively impacted on the urban
land use, structure and space creation, and thus the negativities and
weaknesses revealed.

The existing central business district of Ho Chi Minh City
(regulated as document No.2940/SQHKT – QHKTT issued by
Department of Planning and Architecture, sent to Project
Management’s Committee relevant to the construction planning of
Ho Chi Minh City’s central business district about 930ha,
comprising a part of District 1, District 3 and Binh Thanh District)
- Timing: until 2020 and vision to 2030
4. The Significance of the Research
- Scientific significance:
Concretizing, supplementing, perfecting and enriching the
ratiocination issues of urban management science in general and
controlling the urban development in particular, this has controlled
the development of the regions of urban center.
- Practical significance:
Contributing to the perfection and enhancement of urban
management performance in general and controlling the urban
development in particular, including urban centers to aim at
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promoting the role, position and function of the urban centers in the
process of industrialization, modernization and international
integration of Vietnam's urban, as well as researching and training.
5. The contribution value/contents of the thesis:
- The clarification on theoretical basis for urban space
development control
- A proposal for Development control system for Ho Chi
Minh City’s space development with the Functional Top-down
Model. The system is independent and under the City Government
(Ho Chi Minh City’s people committee)
- A proposal for an apparatus for urban space development
control system, which is structured at three administrative levels:

1.1. Overview of the spatial development of central area in
Vietnam’s large Cities
In the process of development of constructed land in urban
towns (urban land), the central business district will be developed
and, especially the central business district of city grade 1 under
government (the national centers).
Under the influence of the market economy and the integration
trend, in urban center, the functional groups of banking and finance,
commerce and service have been trending towards the strong and
rapid development, overwhelming the other ones. As a result, site
coverage, plot ratio, floor area density and average high limit are
higher than those of others in the city. Many hotels, restaurants,
banks, supermarkets, newspaper publishing, telecommunications,
discotheques, office buildings etc. have occupied the prime
locations, replaced the housing, health and education projects, etc.
broken the planning and traditional landscape of the central business
district. Green area occupied only 1-2 % of the construction land,
causing the negativities and the cramped in the construction planning
and the central business district’s environment.
Development status of the central business districts in large
cities, especially cities under the government, has achieved the basic
results below:
- Many areas of central business district in cities have been
more beautiful, civilized and modern, but still keep the image of
planned space, value architectural works and specific characteristic
of planning, architecture and construction of central business district
in cities, such as the ancient towns, French towns.
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- In order to re-develop, land use purpose in areas with the
building works that were inconsistent with central functions, low

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lack of the harmony between the architectural works (man-made) and
natural environment (nature made).
- The unharmonious architecture, disorder signboards,
interlaced power lines, unsafe and encroachment of sidewalks and
streets etc. have causes disarrangement, uncivilized effects in many
areas belong to old and crowded towns.
- The status of projects, delayed and stagnant construction of
infrastructure component has not only been waste of investment
capital but also caused the disorder in cities.
1.2. Current development situation of Ho Chi Minh City’s
existing central area
The total land area of the existing city center is approximately
930 ha, comprising 678.69ha of civil zone, occupied 74.2% and
238.74ha of non-civil zone, occupied 25.8% (the zone served for
religion, industry, military and water surface, etc.)
In civil zone, residential area occupies 15.9%, public area
16.7%, commercial area 12.0%, transportation area 25.8%, green
area 3.8%. If compared with the public area (administration, culture
– sport, infrastructure, education and health), commercial and
service area occupies the high ratio in the functional correlation of
the urban centre and in economic structure of city centre.
After the Vietnam government mandated the Doi Moi Reform
in 1986 and from 90s of last century, Ho Chi Minh City’s central
business district has been developed and expanded towards the West
and the Northwest. The central business district was proposed to
adjust the scale by 2006, increased total area of 930ha. Under
impacts of the market economy and the Doi Moi Reform of
Vietnam’s Communist Party and State relevant to economic – social
development, mobilization of resources of all economic sectors etc.

safety, transportation, etc.) belonging to the governmental authorities
(Construction, Natural Resources and Environment, Culture,
Transportation, Police, etc.) and divided as many levels being in
charge of specific forces.
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In general, the status of construction, urban and spatial
development in central business district has been changing orderly
and consistently. The control of construction has been improving
effectively. The number of legal construction works has been
increasing, and otherwise.
Figure 1.1. Violations of construction and urban order in Ho Chi
Minh City, from 2009 to 2011
(Source: Ho Chi Minh City Construction Office)
Ho Chi Minh City’s urban management apparatus in general
and control of urban development in particular (including the central
business district) is structured as 3 levels with the participation of
many specialized sections to be undertaken by specific inspectors.
The coordination of the City Construction Inspector has been
accomplished consistently between levels as regulated. Besides, it
has to co-ordinate other authorities and specific inspectors. The
construction inspector force and other sections have been
strengthened in terms of organizations, human resources and
practical skills, knowledge to promote for supervising, inspecting,
violation handling, control of construction and urban order.
1.4. Review of relevant published researches
- Projects and scientific researches
- PhD’s dissertation
- Master’s dissertation
Year
Construction violation

CONTROL AND THE DEVELOPMENT CONTROL OF THE
CENTRAL AREA IN LARGE CITIES

2.1. Methodology
The thesis has used several methods, such as the expert
method, the information processing method, the materials, the
survey method, the forecasting method, the comparison method, etc.
2.2. Theoretical backgrounds for the spatial development control
in the central area
The thesis examines subjects of control activities, measures
of control activities, forms and modes of control, the organizational
model of control management system, etc.
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2.3. Legal tools and bases for urban spatial development control
and central area.
The tools are used by the control apparatus for the spatial
development of cities in general and Ho Chi Minh City in particular,
comprising:
- Legal tools
- Planning and projection tools
- Organization – administration tools
- Education and popularization tools
- Economy, technique and technology tools and etc.
Three tools of legal, planning and projection are main tools in
the management and control of urban development. They are the
foundation for considering and evaluating the implementation of
controlled subjects in construction, investment and utilization of
public areas and works in the cities in general and the central
business district in popular.
2.4. Major impacts on the spatial development control


3.1. Purposes and requirements for the solutions
3.1.1. Purposes
The general purpose to build solutions for perfecting and
improving the performance of spatial development in cities in
general and central business districts in particular, included Ho Chi
Minh City and its central business district includes: targets for
development of economy and society, urban construction and
development, promotion of process of industrialization and
modernization, integration of international economics and regions;
improving the quality of life environment; developing civilized,
modern and stable cities; conserving and preserving the heritages,
ethic tradition, national character and culture.
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3.1.2. Requirements
The proposed solutions have to meet basic requirements below
- Meet with the regulations, the regulations of panning
management, the urban architecture, the management regulations in
sections of land, housing natural resource and environment,
investment, construction, utilization of works and others.
- Ensure the comprehensive and consistent control of city’s
development and its central business district in construction
- Be scientific, realistic and applicable; make the positive
evolvement and improve the performance of the control.
- Ensure the balance between the State’s interest,
communities, organizations, enterprises and individuals in
construction and investment of cities.
- Ensure the fluency of the control, the transparency and
public disclosure in management and implementation, clear
assignment and decentralization; shirk responsibility and tasks.

- Divisions (districts)
- Group/ Team (wards, townships, communes)
3.3.2. Apparatus structural model to control the spatial
development of Ho Chi Minh City and its central area
For Ho Chi Minh City: at the city level, the agency to control
the urban development will be a contact point belonging to the
People's Committee, out of control of Construction Department. The
Inspection Division belongs to Construction Department, in charge
of the administrative activities of the department and specialized
internal activities, co-ordination and control of city’s development in
concerned sections. The inspectors of Construction Department and
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other functional departments are responsible for co-ordination with
the agency/department of urban development control in activities of
city’s spatial development control in necessary cases.
Main functions of agency/ department of urban spatial
development control:
- Consult the relevant authorities about the control of city
spatial development, including field of city spatial development
control.
- Implement the function of administrative control relevant to
construction investment, improvement, utilization of architecture
objects and public areas in the city; control the activities of
organizations and individuals in construction investment and
utilization of urban spaces (including central area)
Main duties of agency of urban development control:
- Supervise and control the activities of spatial urban
construction and utilization of individuals and organizations to
prevent the violations relevant to planning, projection and
regulations.

district)
All hierarchical agencies of urban development control have to
be under administrative control of the peer authorities. They have to
co-ordinate and co-operate with the specialized inspection division
and relevant departments.
The apparatus to control the city’s development control
includes the State’s administrative apparatus relevant to urban
development of the city and the control activities of political – social
organizations, enterprises, communities and residents. The State’s
administrative agencies are leaders.
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Figure 1.2. Organizational apparatus to control the development of
Ho Chi Minh City and its central area (recommended by the author) Municipal level
District level
Ward/
commune level
Peoples’
Committee
in city
City’s urban control
Central control division
People’s
Committee
in district

and Sectoral
Planning
1.1.
Implementing the urban and
sectoral planning; establishing the
regulations for architectural, urban
planning management and other
fields, regulations for building
uses and urban space in central
area.
1.2. Identifying
weaknesses of the
urban planning schemes and urban
management regulations for
review, modification and
improvement.
-
Comply with
the urban
planning,
regulations and
the law.
-
Comply with
the law
2
Urban
Infrastructure
2.1. Carry out programs, plans, projects
to renovate, upgrade the technical

owning right certificates
-
Comply with
the law and the
planning
-
Comply with
the programs
and plans
-
Comply with
the law
-
Comply with
the law
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Feasibility
Studies and
technical
4.1. Steps for investment projects
establishment, appraisal and approval.
4.2. Steps for establishment, appraisal
-
Comply with
the law
-
Comply with
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N
o.

consultants, contractors, others
participants by law
6.2.
Building quality control on
contractors and sub-contractors
6.3.Check for acceptance, hand-over
and operation
-
Comply with
the law
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Construction
site Order
7.1. Investors to apply for construction
permits,
traffic permits, operation
certificates…
7.2.
Compliance with construction
permits, urban planning and design
regulations; land use and infrastructure
connection regulations and other
regulations …
7.3.
Technical methods for landslide
prevention and damages to neighbors,
maintain the traffic fluid
-
Comply with
the law

economic integration
- Invest into research, reform and amend the system of
progress, procedures, rules, regulations, standards and criteria,
regulation in management and utilization of public works etc. in
accordance with requirements of reality and international economics
integration, socialization of urban investment, construction and
development; Create a legal foundation to control the urban
construction and development.
- Encourage residents’ communities to build the collective
conventions, regulations in the implementation of law, cultural and
civilization life in the residential areas
3.4.2. Promote the work and approval for urban planning and
urban designs
Need to apply the following measures to promote the approval and
improve the quality of plans and architecture design, focus on the detail
plan.
- Improve the qualifications of consultants, planning
architects as well as managers of the design consultancy agency,
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state agencies and others; approve the local authorities to make
decisions in appointing the local and foreign consultants and design
valuers.
- Issue the practicing certificates and control the business
activities of the organizations and individuals of design consultancy
and design evaluation.
- Use the appropriate and effective methods in the process of
design choice (tender, domestic and international competition
examinations, limitation of appointment or subsidization, etc.)
- Promulgate the regulations of planning and architectural
management; announce detail plans and urban designs for all

individuals.
- Set up the construction inspection force as level of wards,
communes and townships and pilot in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City
because the local authorities are the State’s “ears and eyes”. They
have daily opportunities to meet residents. Therefore, they can detect
and prevent the violations in construction activities.
- Research and study the organizational structures of
construction control apparatus in development of cities, especially
Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, including participation of specific
agencies, such as construction, land, environment, culture, justice,
police, political – social organizations and communities. In the
organizational structure of control apparatus, main and subordinated
subjects, their functions and their duties, operation mechanism and
co-ordinated control, etc.
3.4.4. Reform and intensify the training for officers in the urban
management and control
The reformation and intension of the training should be focus
on main points:
- The recruited officers for the inspection force should be
professional specialists. Allocate the human resources as their
professional anilities, especially inspectors