A heritage villa built before 1975 in HCM City’s District 3. VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY— The HCM City People's Committee has added 44 old villas to the conservation list for their historical and cultural importance.

Buildings are classified into three based on their historical and cultural significance and have detailed regulations for their preservation. 

Those in groups 1 and 2 are conserved, while those in group 3 have little historical or architectural value and can be demolished.

In the first group, everything from exterior architecture and internal structure to construction density, number of floors and height have to be kept unchanged.

In the second group the external architecture must be maintained.

Only one old villa -- at 12B Bà Huyện Thanh Quan Street, District 3 -- is in group 1. 

Eight villas have been added to group 2 and 33 to group 3, most of them in districts 1 and 3.

Group 3 buildings, though they can be demolished, must still comply with building and architectural planning and management laws, and demolitions need express permission from the Department of Planning and Architecture 

So far more than 350 villas, mainly in districts 1 and 3 with the rest in Thủ Đức City and districts 5, Phú Nhuận and Bình Thạnh. VNS