At a press briefing on Hanoi's socio-economic performance in the third quarter on Monday afternoon, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Finance Do Thu Hang said the city was appraising a proposal for the Ba Vi ecotourism complex, which includes a safari park.

Reporters had asked about the progress of the project study, the amount of land it could require, the number of households likely to be affected and measures to protect residents' rights and livelihoods. The questions also addressed whether construction could begin around October 10.

According to Hang, Hanoi has received the company's proposal. Information about the proposed project and investor has been made publicly available on the Department of Finance's website.

She emphasized that the submission is only an initial proposal from the company and does not represent an investment policy already approved by the city.

Hanoi establishes appraisal council

As the project falls into Group A, a category covering major investment projects under Vietnamese regulations, Hanoi has established an appraisal council to examine the investment policy proposal.

During the appraisal process, the council has asked the company to review the scale of the proposed investment based on a thorough assessment of how land in the area is currently managed and used.

It must also evaluate the potential impact on organizations, households and individuals within the proposed project area.

The review is intended to determine an appropriate project scale, minimize disruption to people's livelihoods and daily lives, and balance socio-economic development with residents' legitimate rights and interests.

Following the review, the project's preliminary land requirement has been estimated at about 300 hectares.

However, Hang said the exact area and boundaries can only be determined through detailed planning.

During the planning stage, information will be disclosed transparently and local communities will be fully consulted in accordance with regulations.

Regarding the timetable, Hang said the project remains at the stage where its investment policy proposal is being appraised before submission to the city for approval.

Several procedures would still have to be completed afterward, including detailed planning to determine the project's precise scale and investment components.

According to the deputy director, trade, services and tourism account for a large share of Hanoi's economy and still have significant room for development. The city therefore needs to capitalize on its existing potential and strengths to support its growth objectives.

Hanoi has set out directions for developing these sectors within its long-term capital planning framework, which looks ahead 100 years.

However, the city's position is that socio-economic development must go hand in hand with social welfare and the well-being of local communities.

That is also why the appraisal council has required a reassessment of the proposed Ba Vi project's scale, with the aim of ensuring investment effectiveness while minimizing its impact on residents' livelihoods and daily lives.

Thanh Hue