Hanoi (VNA) – Lawmakers on August 6 proposed provisions on coastal spatial corridors and protected sea views during group discussions on a draft law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Architecture.
Deputy Tran Viet Anh of Hanoi said the draft law should reflect the strategic vision set out in the Party Central Committee’s Resolution No. 20 on developing Vietnam into a strong maritime nation. He argued that the shift toward comprehensive marine spatial development requires corresponding updates to architectural planning, construction, and the management of coastal urban and rural communities.
The deputy called for legal provisions to preserve the architectural identity of coastal areas, including traditional fishing villages, storm-resistant houses, maritime cultural heritage sites, and lighthouses, while promoting the development of modern, green, and smart coastal cities that retain Vietnam’s distinctive maritime character.
He also proposed codifying regulations on coastal spatial corridors and sea-view protection by setting limits on building density, height, setbacks, and view corridors in architectural management regulations. The measures, he said, would safeguard public access to the coastline, respect natural landscapes, and discourage excessive waterfront construction. He recommended green design standards, mandatory climate-resilient building requirements, and clearer provisions on preserving traditional fishing villages and integrating economic, defence, and search-and-rescue functions into island and offshore infrastructure.
Nguyen Thi Thu Dung, also from Hanoi, called for greater consistency between the list of valuable architectural works and heritage inventories under existing laws, while preserving Hanoi’s special authority under the Capital Law.
Meanwhile, Deputy Nguyen Duy Thanh of Ca Mau province stressed that architectural management regulations should provide investors with clear guidance from the outset on building height, form, colour, setbacks, and other design requirements. He warned against "double regulation," where projects are subject to repeated reviews under both planning and architectural management rules, creating unnecessary administrative procedures.
Thanh also proposed digitising all architectural management regulations into searchable maps covering individual land plots, neighbourhoods and streets, with both current and proposed regulations made publicly available to improve transparency and regulatory certainty.
Deputy Ha Sy Huan of Thai Nguyen province urged lawmakers to replace provisions that merely "encourage" climate-resilient architectural designs with mandatory requirements. Given the increasing impacts of floods, landslides, and other natural disasters, he said all construction projects should be required to comply with standards on climate adaptation and disaster prevention.
The National Assembly also discussed a draft law amending and supplementing a number of articles to the Law on the State Bank of Vietnam, the Law on Anti-Money Laundering, and the Law on Credit Institutions, as well as a draft resolution on crime prevention and the work of judicial agencies./.
VNA
