Hiệp Phước Industrial Park in HCM City’s Nhà Bè District. — VNS File Photo.

HCM CITY — The Hiệp Phước Port Urban Area should be developed only when infrastructure around the port in HCM City’s Nhà Bè District is well developed, lawmakers opined in the city People’s Council at a session recently.

The development of the urban area should be carefully planned and managed so that it would attract people to settle in the area, they said.

Architect Phạm Trần Hải from the HCM City Institute for Development Studies, said infrastructure is one of the decisive factors in building the urban area.

Another architect from the institute, who declined to be named, said the Hiệp Phước Port Urban Area, the Northwestern Urban Area and the Smart City are all recognised as satellite urban areas in the city’s east.

“As Hiệp Phước Port Urban Area is located on an area with soft soil, its construction costs will be high. It will also face the impacts of climate change, rising sea levels and traffic problems.”

The master development plan for the urban area was approved by the city People’s Committee in 2013. One of its major provisions is adaptation to climate change and rising sea levels.

Thus, the master plan includes measures like restrictions on filling up canals, building reservoirs and embankments and ensuring 34 per cent of the land comprises greenery and water.

The urban area will spread over 1,354 hectares and be bordered by the Hiệp Phước Industrial Park and port in the east, Long An Province’s Cần Giuộc District in the west, the Soài Rạp River in the south, and the Đông Điền River and Long Thới Commune in the north.

According to the city Department of Planning and Investment, Hiệp Phước is a multifunctional urban area located near the port.

Its main components will be the housing section, public works, parks and green trees, specialised works like sports facility, marina and wharf, an urban railway and traffic system.

A spokesman for the department said the urban area would boost the socio-economic development of the city and the southern economic zone.

It is situated at an average altitude of 0.4-1 metre above sea level.

It will be developed in three phases.

In the final phase, a residential area will be developed to accommodate some 200,000 people. — VNS