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| Expanding the city toward the southeast. Photo: TUAN KIET |
Expanding the space for growth
As a centrally governed municipality, Hue is entering a new stage of development with the ambition of becoming a major growth pole in Central Vietnam. In addition to its strengths in heritage, culture, and natural landscapes, the city possesses significant potential to expand urban areas and develop the maritime economy, logistics, high-tech industries, and high-value services.
The 2021 - 2025 period marked a significant transformation in Hue’s investment in technical infrastructure. A series of key projects has gradually formed a strategic connectivity network, generating momentum for broader socio-economic development. At the same time, investment has been directed toward economic zones, industrial parks, and industrial clusters. New urban areas such as An Van Duong, An Cuu City, Phu My An, and Eco Garden have expanded rapidly, contributing to a changing urban landscape.
The newly invested transportation routes not only have solved the mobility challenges, but they also have opened up entirely new development opportunities for the city. Ring roads, radial routes, coastal roads, seaports, airports, and expressways are all being incorporated into an increasingly comprehensive infrastructure framework. One of the projects expected to provide a major boost is the Coastal Road and Thuan An Sea Gate Overpass Project. Once completed, the route will create a continuous coastal corridor, facilitating the development of a chain of coastal urban areas stretching from Thuan An to Chan May - Lang Co. Beyond expanding tourism and service space, the project will also unlock extensive coastal land reserves to attract resort, urban, and marine economic projects.
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| City leaders inspect the planned transportation infrastructure area in Thuan An Ward |
At the same time, the Nguyen Hoang Road and Huong River Overpass Project are gradually shaping a new development zone west of the city. The project will ease traffic congestion in central Hue while creating opportunities to utilize large land reserves in Kim Long, Huong An, and the surrounding areas. Meanwhile, the sections of the North - South Expressway passing through the city are steadily being completed, helping reduce travel times, lower logistics costs, and strengthen connections with major economic centers across Central Vietnam. An increasingly synchronized external transportation network is laying the foundation for the development of industrial parks, logistics centers, and satellite urban areas.
Particularly noteworthy is Chan May Port, which is steadily reinforcing its role as an international trade gateway for the region. With the advantages of a naturally deep-water harbour capable of accommodating large cargo vessels and international cruise ships, Chan May is expected to become a key logistics hub along the East - West Economic Corridor.
According to Assoc. Prof. Bui Tat Thang, former Director of the Development Strategy Institute under the former Ministry of Planning and Investment, breakthroughs in spatial planning and infrastructure development have been clearly identified in Hue’s development strategy. “The city has correctly recognized the crucial role of strategic transportation infrastructure such as expressways, seaports, airports, and logistics systems. At the same time, it is shaping key growth areas such as the Chan May - Lang Co Economic Zone, the coastal corridor, and the Hue - Da Nang axis. These are necessary conditions for Hue to accelerate growth and expand its economic scale in the medium term,” Assoc. Prof. Bui Tat Thang said.
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| Hue’s urban infrastructure continues to improve |
Toward a multi-polar urban model
According to many experts, Hue’s development potential lies not only in infrastructure but also in how urban space is organized and how future development models are designed.
Doctor of Science, Ngo Viet Nam Son, architect, argues that Hue should adopt a multi-center, multi-polar urban model rather than continuing with a single-core development pattern. Under this vision, the Imperial City area and the two banks of the Huong River would serve as the city’s heritage urban core, with priority given to preserving cultural spaces while developing cultural industries and a sustainable heritage economy.
New growth poles would include Lang Co coastal urban area, the Tam Giang Lagoon region, Chan May port city, Bach Ma ecological urban area, and the Phu Bai airport urban zone.
“Within such a multi-polar structure, each area must be equipped with adequate social infrastructure, including employment opportunities, schools, healthcare facilities, commercial services, and public spaces,” Dr. Sc, Ngo Viet Nam Son said.
According to Deputy Director of the Department of Construction Truong Nguyen Thien Nhan, prioritizing investment in major transportation projects is intended not only to complete infrastructure networks but also to create spillover effects that attract residents, stimulate urban development, and generate employment. “To fully capitalize on development opportunities, infrastructure must stay one step ahead,” Director Truong Nguyen Thien Nhan emphasized.
Mr. Nguyen Khac Toan, Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee, and Chairman of Hue City People's Committee, stated that in the coming years, the city will continue expanding its urban space and developing new growth poles, particularly in southern areas linked to the An Van Duong - Phu Bai New Urban Area and along the coast. The city will also prioritize investment in major transportation projects, including the extension of To Huu Road to Phu Bai Airport, the coastal road system, expressway connectors, and seaport infrastructure. At the same time, industrial parks, high-tech zones, and logistics services linked to Chan May Port, Phu Bai Industrial Park, La Son, and Phong Dien will be further developed to create new drivers of economic production.
“Hue will develop on the foundation of culture, heritage, and ecology, while simultaneously making breakthroughs in infrastructure, industry, logistics, and the investment environment to expand the scale of its economy,” Mr. Toan said.