Can't go, can't stay because of suspended planning
Leading reporters to his family's degraded house, the wall collapsed after Typhoon Yagi (September 2024), Mr. Bui Huy Thuy (born in 1959) could not hide his frustration.
According to Mr. Thuy, his family as well as many other households in this area are continuously affected by the approved and then revoked project plans, causing life to fall into a situation of "not being able to go, not being able to stay".
From 2004 to 2022, the area where we lived was successively included in the urban area planning on both sides of the inter-ward road Hong Hai - Ha Lam - Ha Trung and the residential area planning on both sides of the road to FLC Golf Course approved by the People's Committee of Quang Ninh province. These plans were later revoked because they could not be implemented. In 2023, the People's Committee of Ha Long City continued to approve the planning of the Urban Renovation Infrastructure project, the residential area on the left side of National Highway 18A to FLC Conference Center, but the progress of implementation was very slow. After Typhoon Yagi, the house collapsed, and children had to rent a room. They did not dare to repair it temporarily to live because they did not know the direction of compensation for site clearance of the family," Mr. Thuy said.
Sharing the same situation, Mr. Hoang Van Thin (born in 1970) said that due to planning problems, the infrastructure of the residential area in this residential area has not been invested in by the local government.
Roads and lighting are all built by people themselves. My family alone has had assets counted by all levels of government up to 4 times in 2011, 2017, 2023 and 2024, but so far there is still no specific compensation and site clearance plan," Mr. Thin shared.
86 billion VND project in Ha Long ward is undergoing handover procedures
According to the reporter's investigation, after 19 years of residential area group 2, Hong Hai 7a area being entangled in 2 suspended plans, on September 22, 2023, Ha Long City People's Committee approved the 1/500 scale Detailed Planning of the Infrastructure Project, urban embellishment of residential area on the left side of National Highway 18A to FLC Conference Center. By March 18, 2024, the project was officially approved with the scope of impact to 58 households.
The project aims to build a synchronous technical infrastructure system, ensuring safety for households in areas at risk of landslides; renovate and rearrange residential areas; create resettlement land funds for eligible households when implementing site clearance; contribute to improving urban appearance, improving people's lives, and promoting local socio-economic development. The total estimated investment is about 86.2 billion VND, of which site clearance costs are about 43 billion VND.
By January 2025, Ha Long City People's Committee issued a notice of land acquisition. After that, Hong Hai Ward People's Committee (formerly) and Ha Long Ward People's Committee (now) conducted measurements and inventory of assets on land, determining the current state of land management and use of households. Before the implementation of the two-level local government model, Ha Long City People's Committee approved compensation, support and resettlement plans for 4 households.
However, by the end of June 2025, the project will transfer the investor from Ha Long City People's Committee to the Project Management Board for Construction Investment Area 1 of Quang Ninh province.
According to Ha Long Ward People's Committee, by October 2025, the locality has completed verifying the origin and land use process for 38/58 households located within the project area.
The project area is located in an area at high risk of landslides. Every time it rains heavily, the government must arrange forces to mobilize people to temporarily relocate to the cultural house to ensure safety.
Talking to Lao Dong Newspaper reporters, Mr. Hoang Ngoc Son - Vice Chairman of Ha Long Ward People's Committee - said that on November 10, 2025, Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee issued a decision to adjust the project investor from the Investment and Construction Project Management Board of Area 1 to Ha Long Ward People's Committee. However, so far, the locality has not fully received the project dossier according to regulations. The lack of dossiers has made the Ward People's Committee have no basis to implement the next steps such as preparing compensation, support and resettlement plans for households in the project area.
According to Mr. Son, immediately after the dossier handover is completed, the locality will urgently implement the project, and at the same time create a resettlement land fund, improving the quality of life of the people.
