Quang Ninh: Expanding the development of the new urban area of Cua Luc Bay

In the previous development orientation of Ha Long City, Cua Luc Bay is not far from the goal of becoming a new urban area of Quang Ninh province, when this area converges all the factors to meet the sustainable development process both in the short term and in the long term.

This was soon identified by Quang Ninh province and reported to the central ministries and branches for integration into the Quang Ninh Provincial Planning for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050 approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 80/QD-TTg (February 11, 2023) and the Ha Long City Master Plan to 2040 approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 72/QD-TTg (February 10, 2023).

In which, it is determined to expand the urban area to the North of the former Ha Long City on the basis of taking Cua Luc Bay as the center of connection, building a multi-polar, smart, green growth urban area, synchronous infrastructure, developing international standard marinas to serve tourism , services, and strengthen regional connectivity. According to the new administrative boundary map, Cua Luc Bay area currently has a part of the area belonging to the wards: Bai Chay, Cao Xanh, Viet Hung, Hoanh Bo and Thong Nhat commune.

Many foreign tourists choose to travel to Quang Ninh. (Photo: Hoang Hieu/VNA)

Cua Luc Bay in general and the area north of Cua Luc Bay in particular is a new urban area, developing services, eco-tourism, culture, entertainment, high-tech industry; reserve for the development of provincial public service centers; establish a system of iconic architectural works; preserve the mangrove ecosystem, overcome environmental problems. The area along Cua Luc Bay prioritizes the development of public functions, services, squares, ecological parks, cultural works, and architectural highlights to create community access.

Specifically, the area east of Troi River is oriented towards a concentrated urban residential area combined with key projects to exploit the landscape of Hoanh Bo ward; developing resort projects combined with low-density golf courses to maximize the ecological landscape of An Bien lake; a complex of cultural tourism centers and marine ecological urban areas, resorts in Thong Nhat commune; a complex of high-class tourism service urban areas, resorts in the south of National Highway 279.

In particular, taking advantage of the water surface space to develop small bays as boat docks and marinas; connecting the water network to create an internal waterway system becomes a characteristic of Cua Luc Bay urban area.

According to the previous review results of the People's Committee of Ha Long City, in the total area of Cua Luc Bay, the area north of Cua Luc Bay still has a lot of room for development, with the current land area of this area being over 3,600 hectares, including current residential land, aquaculture ponds, mangrove forests, tidal flat land; projects that have been and are being implemented.

Currently, in the northern area of Cua Luc Bay, there are 24 non-budget projects that have been allocated land (10 projects have been completed, 14 projects are being implemented) and 3 projects that have not selected investors, with the land fund area accounting for a small proportion, about 6%; the rest is natural mangrove land, vacant land, aquaculture land, tidal land with large areas, beautiful landscapes but has not been exploited and used reasonably and effectively.

To connect the southern and northern areas of Cua Luc Bay, gradually creating attractiveness and attracting strategic investors, recently, Quang Ninh province has allocated the provincial budget to invest in two connecting bridges, namely Binh Minh Bridge and Tinh Yeu Bridge.

Currently, the two bridges have been completed, put into operation, and gradually promoted investment efficiency and created new development space in the area. According to the planning approved by competent authorities, in the future, the province will continue to study and invest in building another bridge across Cua Luc Bay and a number of connecting traffic routes, creating a close connection and synchronous traffic in the area and inter-regional, in line with the development strategy according to the multi-polar model.

Increasing the attractiveness of Cua Luc Bay

Despite the great potential for economic development, up to now, the Cua Luc Bay area, especially in the North, has not yet attracted strategic investors to carry out research and invest in projects.

Existing projects in this area have not been listed as sustainable, long-term development projects, green growth projects of the province; mainly industrial production projects, with large amounts of emissions and dust into the environment, such as: Thang Long Cement Factory, Ha Long Cement Factory, Thang Long Thermal Power Plant, Hung Long Brick Factory, Binh Duong Brick and Tile Factory and Hoanh Bo Industrial Cluster.

To contribute to enhancing the value of Cua Luc Bay area, creating motivation for investors in the area and concretizing the planning approved by the Prime Minister, Quang Ninh province has directed relevant departments, branches and sectors to research and propose investment in a series of transport infrastructure projects connecting Cua Luc Bay area.

Urban infrastructure and traffic in Quang Yen town are increasingly synchronous, spacious and modern. (Photo: Hoang Hieu/VNA)

The immediate proposal is the investment policy to build the coastal road project in the Northwest of Cua Luc Bay connecting from Troi 2 Bridge through Tinh Yeu Bridge, connecting to National Highway 279 and the coastal road project extending from Tran Quoc Nghien Street (near P4 pillar of Bai Chay Bridge) through Binh Minh Bridge to Bang Bridge. Currently, these two projects have been reported by the Provincial Party Committee to the Provincial Party Committee for direction to complete the necessary investment procedures according to regulations.

Mr. Nguyen Anh Tu, Director of the Department of Construction, said: Investing in these two projects is necessary to gradually complete the synchronous and modern transport infrastructure system to expand the urban space of the province, create a driving force to attract investment in developing new urban areas in the northern area of Cua Luc Bay and reasonably exploit the potential and advantages of land, promote socio-economic development and consolidate the national defense and security area. The two projects are considered "seed capital" to promote investment from private economic sectors in this area.

It is known that these two projects will be invested in the period of 2025-2028, with a total expected investment capital from the provincial budget of 5,478 billion VND. Of which, the coastal road project in the Northwest of Cua Luc Bay connecting from Troi 2 Bridge through Tinh Yeu Bridge, connecting to National Highway 279 has a route length of about 8.3km, a design speed of 60km/h, a total investment of 2,860 billion VND; the coastal road project extending from Tran Quoc Nghien Street (near P4 pillar of Bai Chay Bridge) through Binh Minh Bridge to Bang Bridge, has a route length of over 7km, a design speed of 60km/h, a total investment of 2,618 billion VND.

Mr. Vu Tien Kien (Zone 4A, Cao Xanh Ward) said: I am very happy that the province allocates resources from the state budget to invest in more roads connecting urban areas, dynamic areas, expanding new development space in the Ha Long area, with Cua Luc Bay as the center.

Hopefully, after the investment, Cua Luc Bay in general and the North of Cua Luc Bay in particular will attract investors to come and research and promote investment in urban infrastructure and service projects, creating a comprehensive breakthrough for the whole region.

Cua Luc Bay is facing new development opportunities, which can be on par with or even better than Bai Chay area - a place that fully converges synchronous, modern national tourism and service infrastructure if the province soon has a strong, appropriate promotion and investment attraction strategy.

The northern area of Cua Luc Bay has a large surplus of land to develop into a new, more synchronous and classy urban, service and tourism area. From there, the province will soon direct relevant departments and branches to complete the revision of the Cua Luc Bay zoning plan to suit the 2-level local government model, as a basis for attracting investors; issue preferential policies to support businesses investing in smart urban projects, eco-tourism and social infrastructure; promote the public-private partnership (PPP) method to mobilize resources for infrastructure investment.

In addition to investing in infrastructure and researching and issuing policies to attract investment, the province will also regularly direct departments, branches, and localities to strengthen inspection, supervision, and environmental impact assessment, resolutely eliminate existing projects with high risks of affecting the ecosystem in the region, and have a roadmap to terminate operations and close industrial production projects that are no longer suitable for the new development context.

Mr. Truong Manh Hung, Head of the Provincial Economic Zone Management Board, said: Before deciding to invest in a certain area, an urban infrastructure and service investor, in addition to calculating the factors of open and favorable policies and clean land, also carefully considers the environmental factors in the area.

Investors are not interested in investing when next to their project is a factory that discharges waste and has a lot of smoke and dust, reducing the true value of the project. This is an issue that will be studied and proposed by the provincial departments and branches to ensure the harmony of development benefits for businesses investing in the same area.

Binh Minh is the province's first bridge with 6 lanes for motor vehicles and a structure of 5 continuous steel arches. (Photo: Thanh Van/VNA)

In view of the province's development orientation, on August 25, 2025, during a working session with the leaders of Quang Ninh province, Pacific Construction Group (China), in addition to studying and researching the options and forms of investment in the road tunnel project through Cua Luc Bay, also expressed its desire to study the overall planning of the area north of Cua Luc Bay. A positive signal, showing the attractiveness of Cua Luc Bay area in the new development context of Quang Ninh province.

Developing the new urban area of Cua Luc Bay is not only to expand the urban space but also a strategic step for Quang Ninh to affirm its position as a province with comprehensive, sustainable, civilized and modern development. With proactive identification of potential, determination to overcome challenges and synchronous solutions, Cua Luc Bay promises to become a "new growth pole" of Quang Ninh in the era of urbanization.

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/quang-ninh-mo-rong-phat-trien-vung-do-thi-moi-vinh-cua-luc-post1060959.vnp