T.Q.H in Go Vap district told VietNamNet that in early June he planned to re-build a house he had just bought located on Quang Trung street in Go Vap district. The house was designed to have two floors and one basement. 

However, when he brought the drawings of the house to Go Vap district People’s Committee to ask for a building permit, he was told that his project would not be licensed until the city's underground space development planning is released. 

“They (people’s committee officers) did not say how much time we would have to wait,” H said.

Similarly, N.V.T in Thu Duc City also has had to postpone a plan to build a house because licensing has been suspended.

T said his street-front house on Dang Van Bi street in Binh Tho Ward, built 20 years ago, has degraded and he wants to build a new house.

The new house is designed to have one basement and three floors, which would be used for two purposes: accommodation and retail premises.

But when he applied for a building permit in late May, he was rejected by local authorities because the city had not released the underground space plan.

“I cannot understand why I have to wait for the planning, while another landlord on the same street, Dang Van Bi, still could got permission to build a house with basement some years ago,” he said.

“Why did the landlord not have to wait, but I have to?” he said.

The HCM City City Construction Department, while confirming that some landlords still cannot build houses with basements over the last year, said the problem lies in construction planning.

The overall HCM City developing plan approved by the Prime Minister in 2010 and the 1/2000 detailed planning versions approved by the municipal people’s committee do not include planning for urban underground space development.

Because of the lack of planning, the procedures for designing, appraising and approving detailed construction plans are facing obstacles.

According to the HCM City Construction Department, overall floor area planning serves as the foundation to design construction projects, to license buildings, and to carry out other work as per current laws.

To solve the current problem, the department said the HCM City Department of Planning and Architecture needs to make use of Resolution 98 and propose that the municipal authorities add urban underground space planning to sub-division plans that have been approved. 

Proposals

The HCM City Department of Planning and Architecture has submitted a statement to the HCM City People’s Committee on the licensing of construction works with basements in the city.

According to the department, the plan on adjusting the overall planning of HCM City by 2040, with the vision towards 2060, is being appraised by the Ministry of Construction (MOC).

The adjusted plan clearly shows areas where underground construction works and underground spaces are encouraged, and areas where such works are not encouraged.

The plan, once approved by the Prime Minister, will serve as a foundation for underground space development planning.

The regulations on underground space management will be released during the drafting of a decision on adjusting architectural management regulations in the city.

According to the HCMC Department of Planning and Architecture, more than 600 sub-division plans have been approved and applied. However, except for the existing 930-hectare central area sub-region planning, the remaining plans still don’t have detailed regulations on basements for separate houses. 

There is also no regulation which says there must be 1/500 detailed planning for construction works with basements.

While waiting for legal documents on underground space development, the Department of Planning and Architecture has proposed that the content of the planning be included in the 1/5000, 1/2000 and detailed sub-division plans.

This will allow granting of licenses to projects on building houses with basements in the areas where there is still no 1/500 planning, no urban designing, and no regulation on architectural management regulation on the number of basements of construction works.

In June, the Department of Planning and Architecture proposed solutions to the problem. The owners of projects for household use should build only one basement.

Anh Phuong