HCMC – Some 684 hectares of non-agricultural land could be converted into residential land, according to the HCMC Department of Natural Resources and Environment’s 2021-25 land use plan just submitted to the municipal People’s Committee.

The department plans to convert nearly 9,900 hectares of farmland into non-agricultural land, restructure the use of 4,480 hectares of agricultural land, and change 684 hectares of non-agricultural land into residential land for residential development in the city.

To make land use more efficient, the city would accelerate the recovery of areas next to infrastructure development projects, urban refurbishment, and the 1/2,000 planning of rural residential areas, promoting on-site resettlement for people whose land is recovered.

According to the department, the municipality approved the target of changing the land use purpose of 88,000 hectares of agricultural land and 118,900 hectares of non-agricultural land in 2016-2020, but it only managed to convert 65,000 hectares of farmland and 96,650 hectares of non-agricultural land.

There are 562 works and projects that have registered for land use conversion in the city but have not yet been carried out.