Proposal to reclaim 15.2 hectares of beach land assigned to Cua Lo Beach Golf

Proposal for revocation

On August 8, 2022, the Provincial People's Committee issued Document No. 5983/UBND.CN on the implementation of the Golf course, hotel and villa complex project in Nghi Huong ward, Cua Lo town. In Article 1 of the document, the Provincial People's Committee directed the Department of Planning and Investment to preside over and coordinate with departments, branches and the People's Committee of Cua Lo town to advise on adjusting the implementation progress of the Golf course, hotel and villa complex project ofCua Lo Beach Golf Joint Stock Company.

Golf course, hotel and villa complex project in Cua Lo town. Photo: Thanh Cuong

On September 7, 2022, the Department of Planning and Investment issued Official Dispatch No. 3532/SKHDT-DN requesting the Department of Construction, Natural Resources and Environment, Tax Department and People's Committee of Cua Lo town to give their opinions on adjusting the Investment Certificate of the Golf, Hotel and Villa Complex Project in Cua Lo town. The Department of Planning and Investment emphasized in Official Dispatch No. 3532/SKHDT-DN: "Please state clearly the agreed/disagreed views on the progress adjustment; basis, conditions and time allowed for adjustment".

Implementing the direction of the Provincial People's Committee in Document No. 5983/UBND.CN and Official Dispatch No. 3532/SKHDT-DN of the Department of Planning and Investment, the People's Committee of Cua Lo town inspected the actual implementation of the project by the investor and commented in Official Dispatch No. 1504/UBND-DT as follows:

“Agree to allow Cua Lo Sea Golf Joint Stock Company (Project Investor) to adjust the Investment Certificate of the Golf Course, Hotel and Villa Complex Project in Cua Lo Town with the content of adjusting the project implementation progress for an additional 24 months from the date of issuance, the adjustment is accepted if the Project Investor meets the following conditions:

- Return the 152,084.5m2 area of ​​the park area east of Binh Minh Street that the Provincial People's Committee leased land for in Decision No. 225/QD.UBND-DC dated June 22, 2009 to the People's Committee of Cua Lo town to establish a unified and complete plan for the entire park area east of Binh Minh Street together with the 1/500 scale detailed construction planning project of the park area east of Binh Minh Street that the town is implementing to establish a plan.

Current status of the area of ​​more than 15.2 hectares of beach east of Binh Minh Street that the People's Committee of Cua Lo town proposed to reclaim. Photo: Thanh Cuong

- Demonstrate financial capacity to arrange capital to implement the project according to the extended schedule.

- Establish a construction schedule for the remaining items of the project (especially the 40-storey hotel at the intersection of Binh Minh Street and Vinh - Cua Lo Boulevard), commit to implementing according to schedule, periodically report the progress to the Town People's Committee and relevant departments, branches and sectors on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis for monitoring and urging.

According to the representative of the People's Committee of Cua Lo town, in recent times, the town has been making efforts to create a new breakthrough in changing the urban space, striving to complete the goals assigned by the Provincial People's Committee in Decision No. 362/QD-UBND dated February 2, 2020, building Cua Lo beach to meet the requirements of "Modern, unique, distinctive, friendly and highly economically efficient". Meanwhile, the Golf, hotel and villa complex project of Cua Lo Beach Golf Joint Stock Company occupies a large area of ​​land, along many important roads of the town. Therefore, giving opinions on adjusting the progress of this project is an issue that needs to be cautious and considered. Aware of this, before issuing Official Dispatch No. 1504/UBND-DT, the People's Committee of the town reported related contents at the meeting on October 27 of the Standing Committee of the Town Party Committee for the comrades in the Standing Committee to discuss and give opinions.

The representative of the People's Committee of Cua Lo town said: "The Standing Committee of the Town Party Committee has discussed and agreed with the opinions of the Town People's Committee stated in Official Dispatch No. 1504/UBND-DT. The notice of the conclusion of the meeting of the Standing Committee of the Town Party Committee also clearly shows this content...".

Appropriate, necessary

Regarding the project of Golf course, hotel and villa complex in Cua Lo town, on October 30, 2022, Nghe An Newspaper published an article "What is in the Cua Lo Beach Golf project?". In this article, the current status of the Sports - Service Area located on the East side of Binh Minh Street is stated. The Sports - Service Area is planned to be implemented on about 1km of beach length, with a beautiful long sandbank associated with a green pine forest. However, even after searching "red eyes", there is no trace of the so-called "Sports - Service Area". The area of ​​more than 15.2 hectares of this beach is almost deserted, with only embankments, a few rudimentary walking paths and only one restaurant with an investment scale that is not at all commensurate with the name "Pearl Beach"!

In the land assigned to build the Beach Amusement Park, for many years Cua Lo Beach Golf Joint Stock Company has only built the Bien Ngoc restaurant. Photo: Nhat Lan

Collecting related documents, in the Detailed Planning for the construction of the Golf Course Complex, Hotel, and Resort Villas in Cua Lo Town (approved by the Provincial People's Committee in Decision No. 476/QD-UBND dated February 2, 2007), the beach land on the East side of Binh Minh Street, over 15.2 hectares wide, will become a Beach Amusement Park. In the Beach Amusement Park, mainly green trees and lawns will be arranged in combination with walking paths; a number of cooling kiosks and refreshment restaurants will be arranged with lightweight or concrete structures, with a height of 1 floor, low construction density of 5 - 9% and water play facilities (Wondep Pack) will be arranged close to the sea edge. The Provincial People's Committee's requirements for the investor are:"The organization must carry out investment in accordance with the approved construction planning content. If there is any violation, it must bear responsibility according to current regulations."

On June 22, 2009, the Provincial People's Committee issued Decision No. 225/QD.UBND.DC on leasing 152,084.5 square meters of land in Nghi Huong Commune, Cua Lo Town to Cua Lo Sea Golf Joint Stock Company. On February 23, 2011, the Provincial People's Committee established Contract No. 48/HD-TD to lease 152,084.5 square meters of land in Nghi Huong Commune, Cua Lo Town to Cua Lo Sea Golf Joint Stock Company, with a lease term of 50 years, until June 22, 2059.

Article 1 of Contract No. 48/HD-TD states: “The land lessor leases the land to the lessee as follows: The leased land area is 152,084.5m2 in Nghi Huong commune, Cua Lo town, Nghe An province for the purpose of protection forest land combined with ecological service business. Cua Lo Sea Golf Joint Stock Company is only allowed to use a maximum of 20% of the protection forest land area to build works serving eco-tourism according to the planning approved by the Provincial People's Committee (in this area, Cua Lo Sea Golf Joint Stock Company is not allowed to build solid works, limit height, not affect the environmental landscape; not allowed to build fences separating it from surrounding areas so that people can freely move around, swim in the sea and enjoy public services)".

Article 3 of Contract No. 48/HD-TD requires: “Land use on the leased land must be consistent with the land use purpose stated in Article 1 of this Contract”.

Cover of the article "What's in the Cua Lo Beach Golf project?" on Nghe An Electronic Newspaper. Photo: Nhat Lan

Checking the information exchanged by the representative of the People's Committee of Cua Lo town is correct. On October 28, 2022, the Cua Lo Town Party Committee issued Notice No. 22 - TB/Thu announcing the conclusion of the Standing Committee of the Town Party Committee at the Standing Committee meeting in October 2022. In which, it is shown that the Standing Committee of the Cua Lo Town Party Committee discussed and agreed with the contents of Official Dispatch No. 1504/UBND-DT of the People's Committee of Cua Lo town.

From the current status of 15.2 hectares of beach land east of Binh Minh Street that the Provincial People's Committee leased to Cua Lo Beach Golf Joint Stock Company, along with the terms in the related documents cited above, it can be seen that the investor has violated the contract. Therefore, the proposal to consider reclaiming the 152,084.5m2 beach land area assigned to Cua Lo Beach Golf Joint Stock Company to establish a unified and complete planning for the entire park area east of Binh Minh Street is completely justified!.