Hanoi residents will soon have direct access to official urban planning information through a new software application, expected to launch publicly in November 2026. Developed by the Hanoi Department of Planning and Architecture, the tool will allow users to look up the Capital Master Plan and various zoning plans, addressing a long-standing need for transparent and accessible planning data.

Previously, residents found it challenging to access detailed planning information. According to Trinh Quang Dung, head of the Department of Planning, Architecture, and Urban Management, planning documents were complex, including not only maps but also extensive management regulations. While maps provided general directions through color, specific rules on permitted or prohibited structures for each area were defined only in the accompanying regulations, making interpretation difficult.

Many residents have expressed a desire to understand the planning for specific land plots or projects. The Capital Master Plan outlines general development directions, but detailed information for individual areas is found within zoning and detailed plans. To address this, a trial version of the lookup software is currently available on the 4th floor of the Hanoi Museum, offering preliminary access to the Capital Master Plan and zoning plans.

Until the software is fully developed and publicly launched, residents needing official planning information for transactions or legal procedures must submit requests directly to ward-level People's Committees or the Department of Planning and Architecture.

Ky Anh, director of the Hanoi Department of Planning and Architecture, emphasized the city's commitment to providing accurate planning data. He warned against unofficial applications or data circulating on social media, stressing that only information provided by the Department of Planning and Architecture or ward-level People's Committees should be considered official. "Once completed, the data will be published on the city's official platforms for direct public lookup; for now, residents needing planning information confirmation should still follow procedures at state administrative agencies," Ky Anh stated.

The development of this software follows the recent approval of the strategic Capital Master Plan, which guides the capital's spatial development over the next 100 years. This plan, approved by the chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee in Decision No. 2512 on 13/5, serves as a crucial foundation for departments and localities to create sub-plans and implement urban development projects.

A related exhibition, "Hanoi Capital Master Plan with a 100-year vision," is currently underway at the Hanoi Museum. The exhibition, which opened on 29/6, has already attracted thousands of visitors eager to learn about the city's future development.

A simulated view of the Hanoi capital master plan with a 100-year vision. *Photo: Hoang Phong*

Following the master plan's announcement, the city's primary task is to quickly concretize its directions through a system of sub-plans, particularly focusing on zoning and technical infrastructure plans. According to the plan, Hanoi aims to complete five technical infrastructure plans in September, in line with the Law on Urban and Rural Planning. By 2026, the city targets finalizing over 40 zoning plans, which will enable localities to manage urban development and implement 1/500 detailed plans.

Ky Anh noted that the Capital Master Plan integrates two significant earlier plans: the Capital Plan and the Adjusted General Capital Plan, both approved by the Prime Minister in 2024. This integration provides a strong legal framework for Hanoi to accelerate the creation of subsequent plans. With new regulations introduced by the Capital Law 2026, the overall planning and approval timelines are expected to be significantly reduced.

Vo Hai