HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Construction has proposed sweeping reforms to streamline administrative procedures in the construction sector, suggesting a new principle that each project should undergo only one administrative procedure before breaking ground.

Under the proposal, projects that have already undergone appraisal of feasibility study reports by specialised construction authorities would be exempt from construction permit requirements.

The ministry said current construction licensing procedures still have overlaps in design appraisal dossiers and construction permit applications.

It takes around 15 to 20 days, depending on the type of project, to process the applications, while applicants are still required to submit two sets of paper documents.

The proposed changes would mean projects subject to official feasibility appraisal would no longer need separate construction permits, while projects outside that category would continue to undergo the permitting process.

As a result, construction permit requirements would mainly apply to individual houses in certain urban areas with planning and architectural management requirements, along with a limited number of smaller Grade 3 and 4 projects.

The ministry also proposed expanding online public services, allowing all eligible applicants to complete procedures entirely online and submit only one electronic dossier instead of paper files.

Authorities would also stop requiring documents already available on national databases, such as land-use rights certificates, the ministry said.

Another ministry proposal would reduce the number of projects requiring feasibility study appraisal, simplifying appraisal dossiers and shortening project appraisal timelines.

Processing time for construction permits would be reduced by half under the proposal. Specifically, permits for individual houses would be processed within seven working days, while other projects would face a maximum processing period of ten working days.

The ministry said these reforms aim to remove institutional bottlenecks affecting investment and construction and lower compliance costs for citizens and businesses as part of a broader effort to cut administrative procedures and business conditions.

After reviewing all 454 administrative procedures under its authority in April, the ministry proposed abolishing, simplifying or decentralising 157 of them, equivalent to nearly 35 per cent.

It also proposed reducing 19 conditional business sectors, or around 30 per cent of the total, and cutting 102 out of 249 business investment conditions, equivalent to nearly 41 per cent.

The ministry said it would continue to focus on simplifying administrative procedures and business conditions as well as reducing compliance costs and processing times, while stepping up decentralisation alongside stronger inspection and oversight to improve the effectiveness of State management. — VNS