11:12, 29/12/2021

Cam Lam District: towards modern, ecological and internationally connected aerotropolis

Developing Cam Lam District into a modern, ecological and internationally connected aerotropolis; with appropriate planning on land use purpose conversion from agriculture to non-agriculture, ensuring people's livelihoods, etc. are among directions by the leaders of Khanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee at an appraisal meeting for the project on land use planning 2021-2030...

Developing Cam Lam District into a modern, ecological and internationally connected aerotropolis; with appropriate  planning on land use purpose conversion from agriculture to non-agriculture, ensuring people's livelihoods, etc. are among directions by the leaders of Khanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee at an appraisal meeting for the project on land use planning 2021-2030 in Cam Lam District.
 
Towards an ecological tourism aerotropolis 
 
At the recent appraisal meeting for a project on land use planning 2021-2030 of Cam Lam District, Nguyen Tan Tuan, Deputy Secretary of Khanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee asked Cam Lam District and consultants to build a planning to develop Cam Lam District into a modern, ecological and internationally connected aerotropolis based on effective exploitation of potentials and strengths, promoting the development of Cam Lam District in the area of Cam Ranh Bay, connecting Cam Ranh City with Nha Trang City.
 
The 2020 data shows nearly 54,660ha in total of natural land in the district. According to a draft master planning, the consulting firms (Cadastral Technology Research and Application Center, Ho Chi Minh City University of Agriculture and Forestry) proposes the land use target by 2030 in Cam Lam District as follows: more than 43,128ha of agricultural land (down by nearly 3,712ha compared to 2020); 10,919 ha of non-agricultural land (up by more than 4,665 ha) with nearly 953.8 hectares of unused land put into use.
 
Cam Duc Town, Bai Dai Area and eastern of Thuy Trieu Swamp are planned into a tourism urban area with Cam Duc Town as a center of politics, administration, culture, science and technology of the district; center of tourism, service, commerce and handicrafts in the south of the province. The district focuses on investing in infrastructures for Cam Duc Town to meet the criteria of a type IV urban area of the province by 2030.
 
Meanwhile, the district plans to develop modern trade and services in the northern Cam Ranh Peninsula to serve transactions, shopping and tourism development; build Cam Hai Tay wholesale market into a trade center; and construct 3 commercial centers in the commune cluster of Cam Tan - Cam Hoa, Cam An Nam and Cam Hai Tay. The district is expected to establish eco-tourism areas such as Hon Ba eco-tourism area (Suoi Cat Commune); an ecological resort on Suoi Dau Lake (Suoi Tan Commune), an ecotourism park on Cam Ranh Lake (Cam Tan Commune) by 2030, etc.
 
According to the leader of Cam Lam District People's Committee, currently, large corporations and member companies have proposed investing in projects on an aerotropolis, ecological urban area, complex of tourism, service, commerce and entertainment in Cam Lam District. 
 
Therefore, the District People's Committee proposed considering the current planning suggested by the district. Projects proposed by large corporations and member companies will be integrated into the provincial planning later when approved. The district's land use planning will be updated and adjusted according to the provincial planning.
 
 
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A view of Bai Dai from above. Photo by Ma Phuong.
 
 
Ensuring livelihoods
 

According to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the conversion of specialized rice-growing areas should be restricted to ensure the rice land fund and protect farmers' livelihoods and food security in the district, except for areas subject to compulsory conversion of land use purposes.
 
According to Cam Lam District People's Committee, in the district planning till 2030, wet rice cultivation land is expected to decrease to serve projects on the  development of infrastructures, transport, trades and services to meet socio-economic development goals of the district (mostly in Cam Hoa Commune with about 130ha for Vinh Binh - Cu Hin urban area project). In addition, communes have proposed crop diversification and restructuring from rice cultivation land with low efficiency to clean vegetable farms, livestock farms, perennial crops (mango), etc. However, the district's land use planning plan still retains the land fund for rice cultivation, ensuring farmers’ livelihoods and contributing to food security (specialized rice cultivation areas are concentrated in the communes of Cam Phuoc Tay, Cam Hoa, Cam Tan, Cam Thanh Bac, Suoi Cat, Suoi Tan). In the land use planning till 2030, Cam Lam District will establish new residential areas, develop residential centers of commune clusters, etc.
 
At the meeting, Nguyen Anh Tuan, Vice-Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee asked Cam Lam District People's Committee and consulting firms to consider the departments and agencies’ ideas and suggestions on land use planning; continue updating and supplementing specialized plans and other projects in the area to have proper and synchronous planning with the general development orientation of the province. 
 
 
The district is required to review results and limitations in the land planning in Cam Lam in the period 2011 - 2020 to have proper planning for the next period in accordance with the actual situation; have appropriate planning on land use purpose conversion from agriculture to non-agriculture, especially together with effective planning of residential land, urban land, service and commercial land, etc. to balance with the aerotropolis quality and scale; ensure livelihoods of those affected by projects in resettlement areas, etc.
 
T.Thinh
Translated by N.T