Hanoi (VNA) – Lawmakers discussed at the first extraordinary session of the 16th National Assembly on August 22 mechanisms and policies for sea-reclaimed urban development projects to be incorporated into the draft Law on Urban Development, with a focus on unlocking marine resources, expanding development space seaward and creating new growth poles.
Deputy Duong Khac Mai from Lam Dong province called for a common, stable legal framework applicable in the long term, rather than one designed to address a specific project or locality. He said that any locality with the necessary conditions and suitable projects that fully meet the legal requirements should have a basis to access and implement the policy.
Supporting greater decentralisation to provincial authorities, Mai said large-scale sea-reclaimed urban projects are closely linked to planning, marine areas, construction materials and infrastructure connectivity. Clear and substantive decentralisation would help shorten procedure handling, strengthen accountability and improve the effectiveness of special mechanisms.
He also proposed reviewing the authority stipulated in Article 18a of the draft law, noting that authority should be determined based on the level of government and nature of each project, rather than whether a locality is a province or centrally governed city.
Deputy Nguyen Thanh Xuan from Hue city supported decentralisation to quickly resolve planning-related issues, but said local discretion over urban spatial organisation should be distinguished from national standards. Localities could apply higher standards where necessary but must not lower mandatory requirements on safety, the environment, national defence, security, coastal protection and disaster prevention.
Regarding marine sand extraction, he said removing material bottlenecks for suitable projects is necessary, but extraction should be based on the carrying capacity of each area, with limits on location, reserves, output and duration. Impacts on currents, sediment, water quality and shoreline changes should also be monitored throughout the process.
In addition to compliance with mineral laws and the preparation of an environmental impact assessment (EIA) report, Xuan proposed adding a post-mining monitoring mechanism, stressing that an EIA report is a necessary condition but cannot replace continuous monitoring of actual impacts.
Lawmaker Nguyen Ngoc Son from Hai Phong supported special mechanisms to form new growth poles based on the marine economy. However, he stressed that the more exceptional the mechanism and the larger the scale, the more clearly the limits of authority and oversight mechanisms must be prescribed in the law. Therefore, regarding the scope of application, the draft Law on Urban Development should itself set out the principles, criteria, and limits for delegating authority to the Government.
Explaining the draft provisions, Minister of Finance Ngo Van Tuan said sea-reclaimed urban projects are intended not merely to create land, but to develop new green, modern and smart offshore urban areas with national iconic significance, potentially serving as new growth poles and attracting strategic investors.
The draft law already establishes principles for such projects, Tuan stressed.
Regarding strategic investors, the minister said the drafting agency had incorporated deputies’ opinions by setting relevant conditions and criteria and assigning the Prime Minister to make decisions based on practical circumstances.
The drafting agency will continue to review NA deputies’ feedback to ensure the provisions are feasible while safeguarding national defence and security, the marine environment and people’s interests, and balancing the interests of the State and investors.
The same day morning, lawmakers discussed separating the Ninh Thuan nuclear power project into independent projects./.
