Officials in Nha Trang are proposing an increase the height limit on its coastal buildings, pushing the cap from its current 40 stories to 60.

In the area west of Pham Van Dong and Tran Phu Streets, buildings are not permitted to stand more than 40 stories high, according to Tuoi Tre. The regulation is part of a series of urban planning decisions which are meant to stay in place until 2025 and have previously received approval from the prime minister.

However, despite the current regulation, there are already a handful of downtown buildings whose height exceeds the 40-story limit. Muong Thanh Nha Trang, for instance, stands 45 stories tall, while Tropicana Nha Trang comes in at 50. Another development, known as the Phoenix project, has yet to be built but, if approved, would tower up to 65 stories above the shoreline.

Phoenix Project.

The Khanh Hoa People's Committee says that the 40-story cap was originally passed as a result of the Nha Trang Air Base, however now that civilian flights to the city have moved to Cam Ranh, this limit is no longer necessary.

Some, however, disagree. Nguyen Van Loc, former director of the Khanh Hoa Department of Construction, told Tuoi Tre that increasing the building height limit along the shoreline would have a detrimental effect on Nha Trang's tourism.

“If the limit is extended by 20 stories, the beauty and value of the landscape of the Nha Trang beach will be downgraded,” he said. “It is OK to build skyscrapers deep in the mainland of the city, but I won’t agree to the construction of 60-story structures along the Nha Trang coast. Building skyscrapers along the coast means destroying the overall landscape.”

It remains to be seen whether the new 60-story limit will gain approval, but regardless of the city officials' decision, it seems Nha Trang's skyline is in for a change.