Officials in the beach city of Nha Trang in south-central Vietnam have offered a suggestion to increase its building cap by 20 stories although the height of new skyscrapers there has already exceeded the current limit.

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Authorities in Nha Trang, the capital city of Khanh Hoa Province, want the limit to be extended to 60 stories instead of 40 stories like the present.

According to the overall urban planning of Nha Trang till 2025 approved by the prime minister, structures in the coastal area west of Tran Phu and Pham Van Dong Streets are allowed to reach the maximum height of 40 stories.

In addition, the construction density in the area is required not to surpass 40 percent, with priority given to facilities for travel and service.

Recently, Nha Trang authorities have proposed that the Ministry of Construction and the central government permit them to increase the ‘ceiling’ by 20 stories.

Although the proposal has not been green-lighted, Nha Trang officials have given the go-ahead for the construction of many buildings higher than 40 stories.

Bui Dung, former head of the architects’ association of Khanh Hoa, said most buildings under construction west of Tran Phu Street violate regulations on height and density.

The Havana apartment and hotel project is 41 stories high while the Muong Thanh – Nha Trang Center, a condo and hotel development, has 45 stories.

The Muong Thanh – Khanh Hoa luxury apartment and hotel project, located at one end of the Tran Phu Bridge, is designed to have 48 stories.

Tropicana Nha Trang, an apartment, hotel and commercial center complex project, has two building blocks, each of which will reach the height of 50 stories.

More blatantly, the developer of the Phoenix project situated in Nha Trang Bay and to the east of Tran Phu and Pham Van Dong Streets was allowed to construct 40-65 stories even though the prime minister had capped the area at five stories.

The project has faced protests from the masses and its construction has been suspended.

Explanation from provincial authorities

The People’s Committee of Khanh Hoa Province said the 40-story cap on the height of buildings in Nha Trang is only applicable when the Nha Trang airport is operational.

The airport is about to be shut down and moved to Cam Ranh or Phan Thiet, around 50-200 kilometers south of Nha Trang.

So provincial authorities have tasked the Department of Construction with working with the Ministry of Construction and the central government on making adjustments to the height limit.

“It is acceptable to heighten the limit to 60 stories in the western areas of Nha Trang and Le Hong Phong Street,” Pham Van Chi, former deputy secretary of the Khanh Hoa Party Committee and former chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, said.

“But it is not advisable to build 60-storey buildings along the coast of Nha Trang.”

The wall of high buildings has greatly limited the coastal space and the view of the Nha Trang beach, according to architect Nguyen Van Loc, former director of the Khanh Hoa Department of Construction.

“If the limit is extended by 20 stories, the beauty and value of the landscape of the Nha Trang beach will be downgraded,” Loc said.

“It is OK to build skyscrapers deep in the mainland of the city, but I won’t agree to the construction of 60-storey structures along the Nha Trang coast.

“Building skyscrapers along the coast means destroying the overall landscape.”

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