“Golden land” along Le Loi Street needs to be cleared of congestion. Photo: Ngoc Hoa

Hue has many valuable “golden lands” located along Le Loi Street, with a direct view of the Perfume River right in the city center. Unfortunately, instead of becoming service and commercial development projects like the very successful models of many other riverside cities across the country, these lands were left to waste for a long time after the state agencies moved to the administrative area concentrated in Xuan Phu Ward.

There are many reasons for the abandonment of “golden land”. The most important reason is the many problems in public asset management. According to the Law on Public Asset Management, when changing the function of use, old buildings that used to be offices must be handled according to regulations.

Investors who want to implement new projects in this “golden land” area are forced to bear additional costs for demolition and site clearance. In addition, they also have to pay a one-time land rental fee for a period that usually fluctuates within 50 years, leading to a total investment much higher than a project on vacant land. This not only makes investors “hesitate”, but also makes the public wonder when for many years, Hue has been wasting a valuable resource right in the city center. In that context, the statement of Mr. Tran Huu Thuy Giang, Chief of Office of Hue City People's Committee, that the city will “consider and have a specific plan for each land plot location as soon as possible” when talking to the press recently is a positive signal, bringing good news and hope.

Notably, the city will consider valuing the remaining assets on the land at a reasonable level, or even proactively demolishing structures that are no longer in accordance with the planning. The goal is to create a “clean land” fund before organizing an auction, thereby calling for more transparent, competitive and attractive investment.

The urgent implementation of this solution not only helps to "revive" abandoned lands, but also contributes to promoting the tourism and service strengths of Hue.

Along the Perfume River, the central area has long been oriented to become a cultural face, a place where the heritage of the ancient capital meets contemporary life. The introduction of hotel projects, commercial centers, art spaces or theme parks can turn this place into a highlight to attract tourists, while improving the quality of life of local people. Of course, once the new planning is implemented, it requires attention to preserving historical and cultural values, complying with regulations on height, construction density, as well as preserving the landscape on both banks of the Perfume River.

The remaining important issue is the transparency, fairness and efficiency of the auction process. The city needs to be transparent about the starting price, the cost of handling assets on land, along with incentives or planning constraints to create trust for investors. A level playing field, with clear criteria, not only ensures long-term benefits for Hue city, but also creates a buzz for the local investment environment. At the same time, shortening the time to complete administrative procedures is also a prerequisite. In reality, if the clearance, valuation, bidding procedures, etc. are prolonged, it may lose the opportunity to attract large investors. Therefore, the city needs to speed up the progress, proactively support and guide investors, especially in complicated stages, to both ensure compliance with the law and quickly activate the untapped potential. The sooner we proactively "remove bottlenecks", the more effective the opportunity to brighten up the banks of the Perfume River, contributing to affirming Hue's brand as a "cultural tourism city".

Removing bottlenecks for “golden land” along the Huong River is not only a solution to the problem of public land waste, but also opens up long-term development prospects, bringing sustainable socio-economic benefits to the locality and its people.

Hoang Van Minh

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/kinh-te/xay-dung-giao-thong/thao-diem-nghen-cho-dat-vang-doc-song-huong-152629.html