Hanoi will develop in the model of an urban cluster with a West Lake-Ba Vi axis and eight bridges and underground tunnels crossing the Red River, according to the Hanoi master plan for 2030 and vision to 2050.

According to a recent decision signed by the Prime Minister, the master plan covers all administrative areas of more than 3,340sq. km. An urban cluster, Hanoi will be developed with a urban centre and five satellite urban areas, which will be connected by a transport system of belt, which link to the national and regional transport networks.

The urban centre will be the country’s administrative, political, economic and cultural hub, and it would be expanded from the inner city to the west, the south to belt 4, the north to Me Linh and Dong Anh districts and the east to Gia Lam and Long Bien districts.

Hanoi’s urban centre is expected to see a population of 3.7 million with the total areas for urban construction of 45,300ha by 2020 and 4.6 million and 55,200ha by 2030, respectively.

In the urban centre, the inner city will consist of the historical quarter from southern Red River to belt 2, which preserves the Thang Long cultural heritage and other traditional values of Hanoians, and the expanded ones from belt 2 to the Nhue River, where new urban wards with high-quality and modern culture, service and shopping centres will be developed.

The expanded area in the south of the Red River from the Nhue River to belt 4, including a chain of urban wards such as Dan Phuong, Hoai Duc, Ha Dong and Thanh Tri will see development of modern residential wards with cultural, service, trade and finance centres of the region and the nation.

The enlarged area to the north of the Red River and the south of the Ca Lo River covered three main urban wards. The Long Bien, Gia Lam and Yen Vien wards will develop service, trade, education and health centres and high-tech industries along National Highways 5 and 1.

The Dong Anh urban ward will develop international transaction trade, high-tech industry, ecotourism, entertainment preserving and promoting traditional cultural values of the Co Loa heritage site, the Thiep River and Van Tri pond, and form a new sports centre of Hanoi and the nation, as well as becoming the Hanoi exhibition-trade and entertainment centre.

The Me Linh-Dong Anh urban ward will develop services and clean, high-tech industries combining aviation services, Noi Bai airport, a flower fair and exhibition centre and a centre for floral science and technology.

The five satellite urban areas of Hoa Lac, Son Tay, Xuan Mai, Phu Xuyen and Soc Son, will each have specific functions, with the purpose of sharing the burden with the urban centre in terms of housing, training, industry and services.

Population in the five satellite areas is expected to be 0.7 million and the total areas for construction about 24,300 ha by 2020 and about 1.3-1.4 million and 35,200 ha by 2030.

The system of agencies, offices, national defence and security and headquarters of the Party, National Assembly, State and Government agencies are located in Ba Dinh district, while the headquarters of the municipal Party committee, People’s Council and People’s Committee are around Hoan Kiem Lake .

Regarding housing development, the minimum average housing area per capita will be at least 30 sq.m in the urban area and 25sq.m in the rural area by 2030.

In the inner city, living conditions in residential wards and old buildings will be improved with control on construction density and the number of floors in buildings. There will be more public works, green trees and technical infrastructure.

According to the plan, university campuses will be built in the suburbs and the system of universities and colleges in the inner city will restructured, with a maximum 300,000 students.

Additionally, areas for the construction of kindergartens, primary and secondary schools will be increased by rezoning industrial areas and relocating agencies to the suburbs.

Medical establishments where highly contagious diseases are treated will also be moved to the suburbs. Existing hospitals and medical facilities in the inner city will be improved to serve the community in accordance with current regulations and standards./.