A Breakthrough in Construction and Urban Planning

In 2025, the Industry and Construction sector continued to serve as the primary engine for Phu Tho province’s economic growth, achieving a rate of 16.13% and contributing 7.72 percentage points to the province’s overall growth. The urbanization rate reached nearly 18%, while significant milestones were achieved in planning, architecture, urban development, and construction economic management, providing a vital foundation for the province’s socio-economic goals.

Following the motto “Breakthrough in economic development, creating momentum for the new term,” the Department of Construction actively implemented key tasks, collaborating closely with local authorities to advise the Provincial People’s Committee on high-impact initiatives.

Strategic Vision in Regional Planning Recognizing urban and rural planning as a long-term state management tool, the Department conducted a comprehensive review of local planning systems in 2025. This effort addressed overlaps in boundaries and development indicators, ensuring all local blueprints were synchronized with the Provincial Master Plan and new development requirements.

A notable highlight was the proposal for a spatial development orientation for Phu Tho, featuring the Sub-division Planning for Urban Development along both banks of the Lo River. This project connects the Red River Boulevard axis with Hanoi. The riverfront landscape, stretching from Hong Ha Bridge to the heart of Viet Tri City, is envisioned as a modern, eco-friendly urban hub, serving as a catalyst for the province’s long-term strategy to become the central urban area of the Northern Midlands and Mountains.

Social housing development was a highlight of 2025 for the provincial construction industry. (Photo: Contractors accelerating social housing construction in Thanh Mieu Ward).

The appraisal and feedback process for planning projects have been conducted strictly and in full compliance with regulations. Decentralization and the delegation of power to commune and ward-level authorities in planning management have been intensified, coupled with professional training and technical guidance to enhance local capacity in planning and architectural management.

Against the backdrop of administrative restructuring and the implementation of a two-level local government model, the Department of Construction advised the Provincial People’s Committee to focus on perfecting institutions, planning, and urban management mechanisms. This includes orienting toward smart urban development and the synchronization of technical and social infrastructure. Significant milestones achieved include the issuance of regulations for managing urban infrastructure and public utility services; the implementation of the Smart Urban Development Plan under new Government decrees; and the phased formulation of the Phu Tho Provincial Urban Development Program to 2030. These efforts provide a vital foundation for enhancing urban management efficiency and fostering sustainable development in the coming period.

The year 2025 also marked the amendment and supplementation of various laws with groundbreaking provisions. To promptly integrate these legal regulations into practice, the Department of Construction advised the Provincial People’s Committee to issue specific implementation guidelines. This included establishing norms and unit prices in specialized fields to foster a healthy investment environment, enhance competitiveness, and attract strategic investors. An increasingly synchronized and transparent legal corridor has helped resolve bottlenecks for projects, thereby boosting construction investment across the province.

Consequently, the province has commenced and inaugurated several key projects and major works with substantial investment capital to celebrate significant provincial and national events. These projects not only contribute directly to growth in 2026 but also prepare critical conditions for the province to enter a new development phase, aiming at improving the quality of life and the happiness of its citizens.

In line with the Government’s program to build 1 million social housing units, the Department of Construction advised the Provincial People’s Committee to submit a resolution to the Provincial People’s Council on support mechanisms for social housing investment. As a result, the progress of social and worker housing projects has been accelerated. In 2025, Phu Tho exceeded the Government’s targets by breaking ground on 12 social housing projects with a scale of nearly 11,000 units. To date, nearly 3,000 apartments have been completed and are eligible for market distribution.

According to Mr. Nguyen Xuan Quang, Director of the Department of Construction, in 2026, Phu Tho enters a new development stage with higher demands for growth quality, sustainable urban-rural development, and modern, synchronized infrastructure investment. Concurrently, the province will continue to refine the two-level local government model toward a lean, potent, and efficient structure. On this basis, the Department of Construction will continue to enhance its state management capacity, innovate planning methods and urban-rural management in a modern direction suited to a socialist-oriented market economy, and accelerate digital transformation. The integration of Information Technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) into management and operations will be prioritized to create stronger breakthroughs in planning and construction, contributing to the successful realization of the province’s socio-economic objectives.

Le Oanh