Expanding public spaces for Bien Hoa urban area

The overall adjustment plan for the general planning of the Bien Hoa urban area, Dong Nai province, through 2045, is entering its final stage for submission and approval.

This occasion is also the time for functional agencies to propose solutions to expand public spaces to meet the needs of urban residents, with particular focus on securing land resources for public space expansion.

Bien Hung Park - the central park in Tran Bien ward is planned for expansion. Photo: Pham Tung

The "bottleneck" of urban development

Public space can be defined as an "open space where everyone can easily access for free" to serve daily life, entertainment, and recreation. In urban areas, green parks, squares, parking lots, and similar spaces are essential public amenities that help meet the needs of urban residents.

However, in many large, densely populated cities, existing public spaces still fall short of meeting residents’ needs. Rapid urbanization and limited land availability are among the key factors contributing to this shortage.

Bien Hoa urban area – one of the cities with a large population and a high rate of urbanization – is also facing this same challenge.

According to the consulting unit preparing the overall adjustment plan for Bien Hoa city's general planning through 2045, the current indicator for public green space in the inner city and urban areas of Bien Hoa is only about 0.91 square meters per person.

Similarly, the system of parks, squares, and parking lots in Bien Hoa is currently in a state of being "both lacking and weak".

Currently, according to statistics, the system of green parks in Bien Hoa city covers only about 103 hectares. These parks are primarily concentrated in the central wards. In terms of scale, aside from Bien Hung and Duong Tu Giang parks, which are relatively large, the remaining parks are small and offer limited recreational facilities to serve the public.

A longstanding issue in Bien Hoa's urban area is that many public spaces and urban green areas designated in approved plans have not been developed in accordance with the plans.

Provincial Party Committee member and Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Ho Van Ha, said that public spaces in the Bien Hoa urban area are currently very limited and fail to meet residents' recreational needs. The landscape design in the parks has not been appropriately arranged, lacking features that create a visual highlight within the urban space and landscape.

Nguyen Duy Tan, Chairman of Tran Bien Ward People's Committee, said: The parks and flower gardens in Tran Bien ward currently do not truly meet the needs of the people.

Planning land funds for public spaces

In July 2025, the Provincial People's Committee issued a decision approving the overall adjustment plan for the detailed urban planning at a 1/500 scale for Bien Hung Park. According to the decision, Bien Hung Park will be expanded to nearly 9 hectares (currently covering about 4 hectares). Its architectural space will be reorganized to enhance the landscape value of green spaces and water features, creating a focal point that makes the area a cultural, civilized, and modern destination with a fully developed, synchronized technical infrastructure system.

To implement the expansion of Bien Hung Park, the plan stipulates that bank headquarters in the area must relocate upon the expiration of their land leases. In addition, the headquarters of several state administrative agencies will also be relocated to facilitate the park's expansion. Previously, several public land plots in Bien Hoa city were also repurposed as parking lots to meet local demand.

In the Draft Overall Adjustment Plan for the General Planning of Bien Hoa urban area until 2045, the consulting unit proposed an additional 50 concentrated parks. Among them, in old inner-city areas, parks range from 1 to 2 hectares, while in new urban development areas, parks range from 3 to 35 hectares.

Currently, after streamlining the apparatus and two-tier local government organization, there is a significant surplus of headquarters in the Bien Hoa urban area.

Stemming from this reality, at the working session of the Provincial People's Committee with departments, agencies, and localities to hear the consulting unit report on the progress of preparing the Overall Adjustment Plan for Bien Hoa Urban Area Master Plan until 2045 in early January 2026, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Ho Van Ha requested the consulting unit to calculate a plan for the use of land from surplus headquarters after streamlining the apparatus and local government organization at two levels in Bien Hoa urban area. Among these, attention should be paid to the plan for using them to expand public spaces to serve the needs of the people.

Also at this working session, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Van Ut requested that relevant agencies coordinate with the consulting unit to develop a plan for the development of the park, green space, and square system for the Bien Hoa urban area. At the same time, there should be an orientation for new development spaces when some state agency headquarters are relocated.

By Pham Tung – Translated by Mai Nga, Minho