The Hanoi City People's Council has approved a Resolution stipulating regulations on urban and rural planning, underground space planning, and architectural activities in the city, aiming to concretize the 2026 Capital City Law and complete the legal basis for urban management and development in a synchronized, modern, and efficient manner. According to the Resolution, the city's planning system includes various types such as the Capital City master plan, zoning plans, detailed urban plans, commune general plans, functional area plans, underground space plans, technical infrastructure plans, and route and location plans for projects along those routes.
A notable new point is the addition of regulations on route and location plans for projects along those routes at a scale of 1/500, serving as a basis for determining the red line boundary, the location of technical infrastructure projects, and specifying traffic planning in areas requiring management or investment in construction. The resolution also clearly stipulates the cases exempted from preparing this plan, while defining the procedures, authority, and responsibilities of agencies and units in the implementation process. Regarding underground space planning, Hanoi identifies this as a crucial solution for effectively utilizing urban land in the context of increasing infrastructure needs. The plan must ensure economical land use, synchronization with related plans, connection between underground and above-ground structures, and simultaneously meet requirements for environmental protection, flood control, national defense, security, and heritage preservation. Two types of underground space planning are included: city-level planning and detailed planning at a scale of 1/500 to serve the implementation of investment projects.
The resolution also creates a flexible mechanism in planning by allowing the City People's Committee to approve or adjust detailed planning for some key projects without having to adjust higher-level planning first. This regulation applies to large-scale projects, social housing, rental housing, resettlement, educational, medical, defense, and security projects, as well as projects for renovating and rebuilding apartment buildings and urban beautification. Another new point is the permission to simultaneously develop multiple levels of planning. Detailed planning can be implemented in parallel with zoning plans or general plans; if completed first, it will be approved and updated in the higher-level plan afterward. At the same time, many types of planning will no longer require the previous procedures for preparing and approving planning tasks, contributing to shortening investment preparation time, reducing administrative procedures and implementation costs.
In the field of architecture, the City People's Committee is authorized to decide on the development of architectural management regulations for each urban and rural area. For key projects or urgent constructions, the investor may choose not to hold an architectural design competition but must hire a qualified consulting firm and obtain the opinion of the Architectural Advisory Council before approval. The issuance of the Resolution is expected to improve the efficiency of planning and architectural management, facilitate the acceleration of investment projects, develop technical and social infrastructure, effectively utilize underground space, and promote the development of Hanoi towards a modern, sustainable direction in accordance with the specific mechanisms of the Capital City Law.
Source: HANOI.GOV.VN
Link download: Luật Thủ đô số 02/2026/QH16