Top 10 Most Expensive Abandoned Urban Areas

Located in the two communes of An Khanh and An Thuong (Hoai Duc District), the Nam An Khanh Urban Area is situated near the Thang Long - Le Trong Tan intersection. The project, which started in 2008, covers nearly 190 hectares and is developed by Sudico Urban and Industrial Development Joint Stock Company. The area is designed with four main zones: mixed-use, a large lake, a small lake, and an expansion zone. The development includes various types of properties such as standalone villas, semi-detached houses, townhouses, garden homes, shophouses, and apartments, with sizes ranging from 133 to 884 m2. After 15 years, the project remains incomplete, with some zones finished while many buildings have only completed basic structures and remain unoccupied. The infrastructure is not fully developed, and surrounding services, particularly security, are lacking. These factors discourage both investors and potential homeowners from committing to purchasing property here.

With a total planned area of 46.18 hectares, the Vườn Cam Urban Area is a project assigned by the People's Committee of Ha Tay Province (now part of Hanoi) to Vinapol Joint Stock Company. The project was initiated in December 2007 with an expected completion date of December 31, 2013. However, the 3,000 billion VND project is still under construction and has yet to be completed. In early 2015, the Hanoi People's Committee approved a revised detailed plan for a 54-hectare area, including over 600 villas and garden homes. The project was restarted in 2019. Vườn Cam is uniquely designed with only one entrance to ensure security. It is one of the few urban developments in Hanoi featuring only luxury villas, with no shophouses, apartments, or townhouses. Despite the high-end nature of the villas, many have only reached the basic structure stage, leaving the future of the project uncertain. Some brokers have quoted villa prices ranging from 10 to 20 billion VND for properties of 200-300 square meters, even though the infrastructure is incomplete.

The Song Phương Ecotourism Service Point (Hoai Duc, Hanoi) is a development project covering over 9.5 hectares. The project is led by Phuong Vien Trading and Services Joint Stock Company. Originally intended as an ecotourism and leisure service area, the project was later modified to become a high-end residential area with complete technical infrastructure. In 2018, the Government Inspectorate concluded a review of the project's land approval and recovery process. At that time, 90% of the construction had been completed, with many villas built and foundations laid for three apartment buildings. The Inspectorate found that the People's Committee of Ha Tay Province made two decisions to adjust the detailed plan of the Song Phương Ecotourism Project, and these decisions were deemed unjustifiable and in violation of planning regulations. The project was adjusted to include high-end housing and technical infrastructure, with land-use changes from tourism and office buildings to residential properties on 14,043m2. Additionally, the building height of three apartment towers was raised from 11 floors to 44. The scope of Phase I was expanded from 82,772m2 to 95,511m2, with the projected population growing from 1,026 to 2,740 people. Despite many efforts by Hanoi authorities to push the developer, the project remains incomplete, and dozens of villas and townhouses are being sold but cannot be used because the necessary infrastructure connections are still lacking. The villas are currently priced around 20 million VND per square meter, with prices doubling during recent land booms.

The Hoa Phượng Urban Area project is a joint venture between AVN Technology Development Co., Ltd., Ly Hung Joint Stock Company, and Infrastructure Development Investment Co., Ltd. Located in An Khanh Commune, Hoai Duc District, Hanoi, the project covers a total area of 84,499 m2, featuring 147 three-story villas. Despite being in development for over a decade, the project has yet to be completed, with most owners merely reselling properties for profit. The Hoa Phượng Urban Area includes hundreds of villas, including detached and semi-detached houses, built starting in 2008, with an expected completion date in 2015. However, very few units are finished or in use. From an aerial view, the development appears sparse, with only a few villas occupied, while the rest remain abandoned. These unfinished villas are being sold for tens of billions of VND. Specifically, detached villas with an area of approximately 313m2 are being sold for around 23 billion VND, and 410m2 villas for about 30 billion VND. It's worth noting that many of these villas are deteriorating due to neglect. Current market prices for villas in this project range from 70 to 85 million VND per square meter, depending on location and size.

Foresa Villa – Xuân Phương Ecological Urban Area is a project located on a 38-hectare plot in Xuân Phương Ward, Nam Từ Liêm District, Hanoi. Despite its potential, many of the completed villas have been abandoned, deteriorating into a dumping ground, causing frustration among local residents who have sent petitions to Hanoi's People’s Committee for assistance. According to the investor, Tasco, the project has a total investment of 2,850 billion VND, which includes green spaces, water lakes, low-rise residential buildings, public utilities, living units, and social infrastructure. However, despite an investment nearing 3,000 billion VND, some of the luxury detached villas in Foresa Villa have been left vacant for years. Many are suffering from serious foundation subsidence, posing a safety risk to future residents. Notably, in February 2020, residents who had purchased homes in the project for almost five years complained about not receiving their land use certificates, even though they had already paid 95% of the home value to the developer.

The Lã Vọng Group ventured into the real estate market in 2008 with the New House City project in Quốc Oai District (Hanoi). Initially, the project was expected to be a huge success, with the market booming, but it quickly faced several challenges. After nearly a decade of investment, the New House City project remains largely abandoned, with many villas only completed at the shell stage. Located right next to the Thăng Long Avenue and near the center of Quốc Oai town, the project was considered to have a prime location. Additionally, when Ha Tay was incorporated into Hanoi, the Thăng Long Avenue corridor saw high demand from investors, pushing land prices up significantly. The development was intended to include villas, apartment buildings, schools, shopping centers, a health station, an ecological lake, and green parks. The investor constructed 258 villa plots on 27.5 hectares, divided into 4 semi-detached areas. At that time, land prices were around 10 million VND per square meter, and villas were priced from a few billion to over 10 billion VND. With an estimated total investment of 2,000 billion VND, the project was one of the largest in the Ha Tay region. However, today, only a few villas are completed and occupied, with most of the area left abandoned. Infrastructure such as roads, schools, and health stations have also not been completed.

The Geleximco Lê Trọng Tấn Urban Area is a large-scale development that includes apartments, villas, townhouses, and commercial houses. It is situated in the northwest of Hanoi along Lê Trọng Tấn Street, straddling both Hoài Đức District and Hà Đông District. The area spans 135 hectares with a 35% building density and is planned to include public amenities such as schools, kindergartens, shopping centers, supermarkets, and administrative buildings, as well as cultural, sports, and recreational facilities like parks and playgrounds. The residential area consists of various types of housing: townhouses, commercial houses, villas, and apartments. Key infrastructure includes power substations, water systems, wastewater treatment plants, parking areas, and gas stations. The development is divided into four sections: Zone A (30 hectares) with apartments and townhouses located on both sides of Lê Trọng Tấn Street and Hòa Lạc Road, opposite the Bắc An Khánh project. Zone B (21 hectares) features mainly villas and townhouses, adjacent to the Sudico Nam An Khánh development. Zones C (42 hectares) and D (40 hectares) are located across from each other and feature commercial street houses and villas directly connected to Aeon Mall Hà Đông. Currently, many townhouses in the area have been completed but remain unoccupied.

Dương Nội is a major project located in the western part of Hanoi, developed by the Nam Cường Group. It is situated in Dương Nội Ward, Hà Đông District. The area is meticulously planned, featuring the 12-hectare Bách Hợp Lake and the Aeon Mall Hà Đông shopping center. The project broke ground in 2008 with an initial investment of 7.642 trillion VND. However, certain sections are either still under construction or in the process of finalizing. While the infrastructure, landscaping, roadways, and lighting systems are nearly complete, the population density remains low with few residents moving in. On some real estate websites, the price of townhouses here ranges from 110 to 140 million VND per square meter, depending on the zone and type of property. As a result, purchasing a villa in Dương Nội requires an investment of at least 10 billion VND. Many expensive villas are currently being advertised for rent or sale, with signs displayed on balconies or at the front doors. Some entrances are blocked or have been closed off with wires or locks.

Lideco Urban Area, developed by the Từ Liêm Urban Development Joint Stock Company (Lideco), is located on Road 32 in Hoài Đức District, Hanoi. The construction of this urban area began in 2007, but after over a decade, it remains unfinished. Many villas here are still incomplete, with only their basic structures built, leaving them abandoned and unoccupied. The project is divided into two residential sections, one on each side of the main road. The East and West zones are mainly planned for semi-detached villas, row houses, garden houses, and street-front homes. Spanning over 38 hectares, the project has a total investment of 781 billion VND, consisting of 648 villas, garden homes, and 136 townhouses, all designed in a neoclassical style. Although the project was slated for completion in 2013, it remains far from finished even after many years. Currently, the price for villas in Lideco Urban Area ranges from 80 to 130 million VND per square meter, or approximately 13 to 30 billion VND per villa, depending on its location. Meanwhile, several villas are still in their rough structure, with rental prices ranging between 30 to 40 million VND per month for these unfinished properties.

Mê Linh connects to the center of Hanoi via the extended Võ Văn Kiệt Road, running from the northern Thăng Long Bridge to near Nội Bài Airport. In the future, alongside Đông Anh and Sóc Sơn, this district is set to become a northern city directly under the capital. Initially, it was expected to become one of the most modern urban areas in Hanoi, but after nearly 15 years, the project has proven to be a failed endeavor. Among the 18 projects signed just before the expansion decision of Hanoi took effect (August 2008), the AIC urban area gained attention, but most of the land remains unused. In Decision 126 issued on July 12, 2021, the Department of Planning and Investment fined the company for failing to carry out investment activities as per the registered documents and for not reporting on the investment activities, monitoring, and project evaluation. The company has complied with the fine payment. The Hà Phong urban area (Mê Linh, Hanoi), developed by the Hà Phong Joint Stock Company, with major shareholders being Thái Bình Dương Group (owned by Phan Văn Quý) and Geleximco (owned by Vũ Văn Tiền), has been abandoned after 20 years of development despite numerous land speculation phases. With nearly 2,400 hectares of land across 47 suspended projects, Mê Linh is considered one of the districts with the most underutilized land resources in Hanoi.