Chongqing approves urban construction expansion plan

Updated: 2011-10-31 19:53

By Li Jing (chinadaily.com.cn)

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By 2020, the urban construction land of the main city zone of Chongqing will be reached to 1188 square kilometers with the population of 12 million people; it will be one of the five central cities in China, including Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, and Guangzhou.

October 15, the State Council officially replied to agree the revised Chongqing Urban and rural overall planning (2007-2020) (hereinafter referred to as the master plan). Hu Wantai, the Chief of Chongqing City planning bureau said at the news release conference that was held by Chongqing people's Government on October 27, According to the requirements of the State Council, will appropriately adjust size of the city and increase 323 square kilometers of city construction land, the main change is reflected that the expansion of the main city of peripheral urban space.

Compared with 2007 master plan approved by the State Council, the increased city construction lands are mainly located in Liangjiang New Area,Xiyong Integrated Free Trade Zone and the surrounding area, and also provide land space use security for Chongqing economic and technological development zone, high-tech development zone and other important functional areas, while considering the balanced development of cities, appropriately increase land scale in other regions. The planning focused on increasing public facilities land, industrial land and residence.

By 2020, the total population of Chongqing will be 32.5 million, of which the urban population is 22.8 million and 70% of urbanization. 12 million of main cities’ population, of which 7 million people in the central area; 1188 sq km of the urban construction land in main cities, of which 561 square kilometers in downtown.

Hu Wantai said, it is obvious to attract foreign capital investment by increasing the urban construction land, such as Liangjiang New Area,Xiyong Integrated Free Trade Zone, it’s a good proof that companies like HP, Acer established in Chongqing. At the same time, 80 square kilometers more living space than the original can really achieve the goal of controlling prices, guarantee Chongqing people's living conditions by Chongqing people’s Government. He said the increased land will not affect the residential land prices in Chongqing; on the contrary, it’s a good protection to stop the prices going too high. Government will still protect the low-end and restrict the high-end.

Huang Zhiliang, vice chancellor of Chongqing Technology and Business University also felt excited about this amendment,"it has important significance to China, Chongqing." In this overall national development, the new plan reflects important trends of China's strategy; regional coordination development has become a major strategy, which is conducive to the coordinated development of East-Central-West of China's three major sections.

The increased land in main cities are favorable for better growth in Chongqing, while this plan is more than urban planning, it also includes rural areas, promote rural development, promote three Gorges reservoir area, area in Southeast Chongqing and promote the development of 495 small towns.

At the same time, the plan also makes new demands on urban transformation, a request to become a Resource-saving urban, environment-friendly city, Garden City, currently Chongqing is still a high energy and water consumption city, the electronic information industry has been changing, but still needs to be worked on in many aspects.