An Evaluation of Urban Renewal Policies of Shenzhen, China

Abstract

Urban renewal is a pragmatic approach in the sustainable urban development of urban areas, and has now become an essential strategy for most metropolises in China. The question of how urban renewal can best be realized has gained the attention of urban planning researchers looking to formulate practical evidence-based urban renewal policies through policy instruments. This paper analyzes the urban renewal policies of Shenzhen, a pioneer city in China in the promulgation of urban renewal legislation. In doing so, an analytical framework is established by focusing on three main policy instruments, along with several sub-instruments within them. Shenzhen's five main urban renewal policies, issued between 2009 and 2016, are analyzed through this framework. Content analysis and pattern-matching is used in the review and analysis of the data. The results show that "Environment" side policies tend to be the most widely applied by the Shenzhen municipal government. Additionally, "Regulation Control" and "Goal-planning" policies are the two instruments most frequently adopted as sub-instruments. Moreover, it is found that the application of "Supply" side polices and "Demand" side polices needs be strengthened. These findings identify the types of urban renewal policies currently employed in China and provide a clear understanding of the current policy priorities, with suggestions and insight into further urban renewal policy initiatives for Shenzhen and beyond.

Strategic Approaches to Sustainable Urban Renewal in Developing Countries: A Case Study of Shenzhen, China

“…As of now, the urban renewal plan in Shenzhen has incorporated approximately 650 projects (See Figure 2). The land use supply through the development of urban renewal rose to around 2.5 million square meters in 2016, accounting for about 35 percent of the total land supply in Shenzhen [31]. However, only one-third of the total planned urban renewal projects were implemented successfully, and this less than expected result have signaled the need to rethink the existing approaches, and re-evaluate the current SUR strategies.…”

Evolution of Policy Concerning the Readjustment of Inefficient Urban Land Use in China Based on a Content Analysis Method

“…As the development path of Western urban renewal has passed, the readjustment of inefficient urban land use has developed slowly in China, but it has entered a new stage of organic renewal [49,50]. In the new stage of development, large-scale expansion has been transformed, with a focus on the high-quality exploration of land use potential and social development inheriting particular historical and cultural contexts [51][52][53][54][55][56]. For example, the 798 Art District, located in the Chaoyang district of Beijing, used to be the site of the former state-owned 798 factory and other old factories for the electronics industry.…”

Young Pioneers, Vitality, and Commercial Gentrification in Mudan Street, Changchun, China

“…However, gentrification strategies based on Western contexts are often impractical in developing countries because of the different political systems and economic conditions, and the different spatial and temporal paths of urban development [3]. In the 1990s, urban renewal in China started in the large cities [4,5]. Many traditional commercial streets were demolished or renovated on a large scale by the building of new gentrified and upscale landscapes that reflected the will of the elites, such as urban managers and planners [6].…”