Ho Chi Minh City currently operates under three master plans and 613 approved sub-zoning plans. The municipal People’s Committee has directed relevant agencies to conduct a comprehensive review and make adjustments in line with the city’s overarching socio-economic development strategy.
Planning aligned with long-term goals
According to a report from the HCMC Department of Construction, as of July 1, the city’s boundaries have expanded following the administrative restructuring. In compliance with regulations, a unified master plan is now required. At present, three master plans remain valid and are being implemented.
Two of these—originally approved for Binh Duong and Ba Ria–Vung Tau before the latest adjustment of HCMC’s master plan to 2040 with a vision to 2060 (Prime Minister’s Decision 1125)—must now be integrated into the unified framework. The preparation and adjustment of sub-zoning plans, the department stressed, are essential to ensure consistency with Decision 1125.
The department is working with ward- and commune-level authorities to review and propose new sub-zoning plans, guided by criteria such as compliance with the master plan, alignment with the boundaries of 168 wards and communes, and adherence to established procedures for urban and rural planning.
“Fundamentally, the existing master plans have responded to local socio-economic development needs, especially housing, employment, and investment demand.
For HCMC’s own master plan under Decision 1125, regional linkages with neighboring provinces were already factored in. The consolidated master plan will therefore build on approved urban plans while proposing breakthrough initiatives tailored to each area’s resources and strengths, creating fresh momentum for the city’s socio-economic development,” the report stated.
Given that HCMC, Binh Duong, and Ba Ria–Vung Tau were previously separated by rivers such as the Saigon, Dong Nai, and Thi Vai—with connectivity ensured through bridges and inter-provincial highways—the department has recommended not only strengthening traditional transport links but also developing an integrated public transport and interregional transit network.
Rational allocation of resources
Urban planning experts agree that adjustments should focus on coordination rather than wholesale redesign. Dr. Nguyen Huu Nguyen of the HCMC Urban Planning and Development Association noted, “The three localities—HCMC, Binh Duong, and Ba Ria–Vung Tau—have always been part of the Southern Key Economic Region. Their plans were fundamentally sound and aligned with each area’s strengths. Adjustments should concentrate on border zones.”
He added that while administrative mergers may not alter infrastructure planning, investment sequencing must be recalibrated. “Which projects require immediate investment and which can follow later must be carefully weighed to ensure synchronized socio-economic development,” he said.
Echoing this view, Dr. Khuong Van Muoi, former Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Association of Architects, stressed that the new master plan should not merely be an administrative amalgamation but an integrated vision to transform HCMC into a “global megacity.”
The city is targeting a polycentric urban model, with the historic core serving as a financial-technology hub and satellite cities in Cu Chi, Thu Dau Mot, Ben Cat, Di An, and Vung Tau supporting industry, logistics, and tourism along the coast.
The HCMC People’s Committee has tasked the HCMC Institute for Development Studies (HIDS) with leading the drafting of new planning items, in coordination with other agencies, and preparing cost estimates for the adjustments. The Department of Finance has been assigned to strengthen the city’s planning management board for the 2021–2030 period with a vision to 2050, designating it as the lead agency for implementing adjustments. The Department of Home Affairs has been assigned to appraise the proposal before submission to the People’s Committee.
Following the Government’s resolution on advancing planning in tandem with administrative restructuring—pending the adoption of the revised Planning Law—the Department of Finance will coordinate with the HIDS and other bodies to finalize a roadmap for HCMC’s consolidated master plan.
