Be cautious about land affected by planning regulations in the former Nghi Phong commune.
In recent days, the land market in the former Nghi Phong commune (now part of Vinh Loc ward) has remained vibrant, especially in Tien Dong hamlet. Brokers are constantly showing land to potential buyers, enticing them with attractive advertisements. However, behind this bustling activity lurks significant risks, as many buyers have encountered land affected by zoning plans, leading to potential disputes and economic losses.
Only after buying land do you realize it's affected by zoning regulations.
According to observations, along routes such as Phuc Tho - Son Market, and the road connecting the former Nghi Xuan commune to Nghi Phong (now Vinh Loc ward), numerous plots of land have been subdivided and parceled out close together. "For Sale" signs are ubiquitous, accompanied by attractive descriptions such as "beautiful land," "good price," "convenient business location," and "not affected by zoning plans." However, in reality, many people, due to lack of information, overconfidence, or excessive trust in brokers, have hastily paid money only to later discover that the land they purchased is affected by zoning plans.
A recent incident in the former Nghi Phong commune area further highlights the potential risks in land transactions when buyers fail to thoroughly check legal aspects. According to investigations, Ms. T. (residing in Thanh Vinh ward) agreed to acquire a plot of land worth over 1.7 billion VND near the 72m road in the former Nghi Phong commune from Ms. M. and paid a deposit of 200 million VND. However, after completing the deposit, while independently researching the legal documents, Ms. T. discovered that the land in question was within a planned development area.
This led to a conflict between the two parties, as the buyer demanded clarification regarding the seller's responsibility for providing information, while the seller insisted they did not intentionally conceal anything. After several exchanges, to avoid prolonging the dispute and legal consequences, the seller returned the entire deposit and compensated Ms. T., officially terminating the transaction.
Speaking to reporters, Ms. T. said: “Fortunately, before proceeding with the next steps, we brought the land ownership certificate to the relevant authorities for verification. If we hadn't discovered it in time and bought land affected by the planning regulations, the economic loss would have been enormous.” Ms. T. also advised people to proactively check planning information when conducting land transactions to avoid unfortunate risks.
Posing as prospective land buyers, we were taken by a real estate agent named M. to view a plot of land on the Phuc Tho - Son Market road, in the former Tien Dong hamlet, now Truong Vinh ward. According to this agent, the plots here typically have an 8m frontage and are 20m long, priced at around 30 million VND/m². "Don't worry, I just checked, I guarantee it's not affected by any planning regulations," agent T. confidently asserted.
Furthermore, this person also claimed that if one happens to buy land that is zoned for green space or commercial use, "it's okay," it just means it can't be mortgaged with a bank, but in the long run, it will still be favorable for business and trade. Such advice is causing many buyers to be complacent.
Another real estate agent operating in Truong Vinh ward admitted: "Walking from Nghi Xuan commune down to Nghi Phong (formerly), you see subdivided land everywhere. Buyers who are not knowledgeable find it very difficult to distinguish between clean land and land affected by planning regulations. If you are not careful, it is very easy for lawsuits and disputes to arise."
Speaking with reporters, Mr. Nguyen Viet Duc, Vice Chairman of the Vinh Loc Ward People's Committee, said that the land plots affected by the planning mainly stem from the fact that the current planning projects are fully legally valid according to the law. Currently, Vinh Loc Ward is simultaneously applying multiple planning projects approved by the Provincial People's Committee. In addition, previous planning projects of Vinh City and Nghi Loc District (formerly) are still in effect. Given this situation, the local authorities advise people to proactively research and carefully review legal information when conducting real estate transactions to avoid risks related to planning.
Check the zoning plan before investing your money.
The main reason for this situation is that the area is currently undergoing planning and adjustments. Many people, fearing they might "miss out on an opportunity," trust the recommendations of brokers or acquaintances and rush to invest without fully checking the relevant legal information.
Speaking with reporters, Mr. Phung Ba Minh, a specialist in the Urban Economy and Infrastructure Department of Vinh Loc ward, said: After the ward received a document from the province regarding the survey and selection of planning locations in this area, there has been a surge in people subdividing land and parceling it out for sale.
"In reality, there have been cases where buyers have been affected by zoning plans, mainly in the Tien Dong hamlet area of Nghi Xuan commune (formerly) and the Nghi Phong commune area (formerly), related to green space, commercial, and sports planning. However, there are also people who are aware that the land is subject to zoning plans but still accept buying it because the price is cheaper, with the purpose of opening businesses or shops," Mr. Minh informed.
According to Mr. Minh, buying land in planned areas carries many risks. Local authorities have advised people to go directly to the ward People's Committee or relevant agencies to check planning information before making any transactions.
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According to experts and authorities, there are currently many types of planned land, such as: urban planning, transportation planning, railway planning, residential area planning, parks, green spaces, sports areas, economic zones, industrial zones, etc.
Land use planning is an important tool that helps the State guide socio-economic development, allocate land resources rationally, and ensure harmony between urban development, production, and environmental protection. It also serves as the legal basis for land allocation, issuance of land certificates, permission for land use conversion, or land reclamation when implementing projects.
In reality, many disputes have arisen recently when people put down deposits to buy land but later discovered that the land plot was subject to planning regulations, making it ineligible for transfer of ownership, forcing them to file lawsuits. Due to the chaotic situation in land transfers within the Nghệ An Provincial Administrative Center's local planning area, on December 31, 2025, the Provincial People's Committee issued Document No. 14824/UBND-NN stating that "land use purpose conversion is not permitted; land transactions are restricted during the period of organizing and adjusting the local planning for the Nghệ An Provincial Administrative Center area."
The Provincial People's Committee has assigned the Department of Agriculture and Environment to coordinate with the People's Committees of Vinh Loc Ward and Dong Loc Commune to prohibit the conversion of land use purposes and restrict the buying, selling, and transfer of land during the period when the Department of Construction is implementing the task of adjusting the local planning of the Provincial Administrative Center area. In addition, the Department of Agriculture and Environment is tasked with strengthening monitoring and supervision of the implementation of tasks by the People's Committees of Vinh Loc Ward and Dong Loc Commune as directed by the Provincial People's Committee.
Leaders of the Nghe An Provincial People's Committee affirmed that the above document only applies within the planned area of the Provincial Administrative Center, aiming to strengthen management and control of land activities during the planning and adjustment period, avoiding risks and disputes...
