New zoning schemes to create infrastructure breakthroughs for eastern HCMC

Nine newly-approved 1:2000-scale functional zone planning schemes have set new development directions in terms of transportation, technology and finance for Ho Chi Minh City's Thu Duc city.

The schemes are expected to create major infrastructure breakthroughs in the eastern part of HCMC.

"This is a step toward concretizing the city’s master plan, helping define the spatial development of functional zones, while providing a legal basis for attracting investment and implementing synchronous infrastructure," Hoang Tung, chairman of the Thu Duc city People's Committee, said at a ceremony to announce the information on Monday.

The approval of these schemes not only impacts governance and administration but also directly affects the lives of residents and businesses. They will also form the foundation for detailed urban planning, potentially allowing the waiving of building permits for individual houses, thus making construction easier for citizens, according to Tung.

“These schemes provide the legal framework for development under the two-tier urban governance model and spatial orientations in key sectors such as services, finance, education, and high-tech,” he added

The National Assembly, Vietnam's legislature, on June 16 endorsed the revised Law on Local Government Organization. The law establishes a two-tier local government structure (provincial and communal levels), removing the district level authorities in between.

Starting in July, as Thu Duc city is reorganized into 12 wards, it will coordinate with departments and agencies across HCMC to accelerate the implementation of these schemes.

Under the planning schemes, Zone 1 will be oriented as Thu Thiem International Financial Center, covering Thu Thiem, An Loi Dong and Thao Dien wards, and parts of An Khanh and An Phu. It has a total area of 1,807 hectares and a population of 332,500.

Zone 2 is set to become Truong Tho New Urban Center, covering the entire ward of Hiep Binh Chanh and parts of Linh Dong, Truong Tho, Hiep Binh Phuoc, Tam Phu, and Tam Binh. Its total area reaches 2,042 hectares, housing 270,000 people.

Zone 3 will focus on developing the Vietnam National University-HCMC Urban Area. It spans 2,468 hectares in Linh Tay, Linh Chieu, Binh Tho, Linh Trung, Binh Chieu, Linh Xuan, and parts of Tam Binh, Tam Phu, Linh Dong, Truong Tho, and Hiep Binh Phuoc, with a population of 440,000.

Zone 4 is planned as a national cultural and historical park combined with ecotourism, comprising Long Binh and parts of Tan Phu and Long Thanh My. It has a total area of 2,945 hectares and a population of over 280,000.

Zone 5 will be a knowledge-based urban area linked to institutes, universities, and research facilities, including Long Phuoc and parts of Truong Thanh and Long Truong. It has a total area of 3,400 hectares, accommodating 210,000 people.

Zone 6 covers 1,587 hectares, including parts of Thanh My Loi, Cat Lai, Binh Trung Dong, and Phu Huu, with a population of 127,500. It is aimed to develop a port services, industrial, and logistics hub.

Zone 7 will be developed into a mixed-use urban area along major routes like Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expressway and Ring Road 2, including Binh Trung Tay and parts of An Khanh, An Phu, Phu Huu, Binh Trung Dong, Cat Lai, Phuoc Long B, and Thanh My Loi. It has a total area of 1,748 hectares and a population of 300,000.

Zone 8 is centered on developing the Rach Chiec Sports Complex, combined with an urban park and support services, covering Phuoc Long A, Phuoc Long B, Phuoc Binh, and parts of An Phu, Tang Nhon Phu B, and Phu Huu. It spans 1,195 hectares, housing 248,000 people.

Zone 9 covers 2,222 hectares in Hiep Phu, Tang Nhon Phu A and B, and parts of Phuoc Long B, Tan Phu, Long Thanh My, Truong Thanh, Long Truong, and Phu Huu. Expected to housing 345,000 people, it is oriented toward redeveloping existing residential areas and forming a multifunctional complex along major transportation axes.

Chairman of the HCMC People's Committee Nguyen Van Duoc emphasized that Thu Duc city plays a pivotal role in HCMC’s new urban development strategy, particularly in areas such as modern infrastructure, high technology (including semiconductors, AI, big data), quality education, and health care.

“The reorganization of Thu Duc into 12 wards and the end of the district-level model is not the conclusion - it's the beginning of a new phase in HCMC’s urban development,” he said.