Exploring the Diverse Expectations of Stakeholders in Industrial Land Redevelopment Projects in China: The Case of Shanghai

Abstract

In China, while large-scale industrial land redevelopment has played a significant role in promoting economic growth, it has also triggered a series of unsustainable problems. To date, few studies have explored the expectations of stakeholders in industrial redevelopment projects in China. Gaining an in-depth understanding of the diverse expectations among core stakeholders is an essential step towards realizing social sustainability. This study aims to analyze these diverse expectations in industrial land redevelopment projects. For this purpose, 19 factors were identified and compared across the following core stakeholders: local governments, consulting experts, the general public, and original land users of state-led redevelopment and land user-led redevelopment projects, using questionnaires and interviews conducted in Shanghai, China. The findings show there to be tremendous differences between the expectations of different stakeholder groups in terms of economic, social and environmental aspects. Major differences were also found between the expectations of original land users across different project types. Moreover, the negative externalities, the balance between industrial and residential space, the diverse needs of original land users in different project types, and the barriers to stakeholders’ participation, in industrial land redevelopment in China were discussed. The findings of the current paper are conducive to optimizing stakeholder participation in industrial land redevelopment so as to enhance social sustainability.

Stakeholder Analysis and Social Network Analysis in the Decision-Making of Industrial Land Redevelopment in China: The Case of Shanghai

“…This approach is seen to be necessary to achieve consensus and thus is widely adopted in Western countries. Drawing on this idea, a good participatory mechanism on the basis of a profound understanding of various stakeholders in China’s complex social and economic system is necessary [ 10 , 53 ].…”

“…The majority of industrial factories located in the urban interior were moved to the edge of the city or closed, leaving a large number of vacant, inefficiently utilized industrial land plots and buildings [ 9 ]. There are two main approaches to the reuse of industrial space: adaptive reuse and industrial land redevelopment (ILR) [ 9 , 10 , 11 ]. Adaptive reuse refers to partially or completely converting the functions of the buildings on industrial site through appropriate renovation without changing the main building structure [ 9 ].…”

“…Adaptive reuse refers to partially or completely converting the functions of the buildings on industrial site through appropriate renovation without changing the main building structure [ 9 ]. ILR refers to the overall demolition and reconstruction of industrial site that has little value and cannot be adaptively reused [ 10 ]. In China, most of the vacant, inefficiently utilized industrial sites have problematic building environment or serious safety issues such as building safety or fire safety, which can only be solved through redevelopment [ 12 , 13 , 14 ].…”

“…Like all complex and multidimensional public problems, ILR projects involve extensive stakeholders. Due to the lack of a comprehensive understanding of stakeholders, large-scale ILR projects often raise a series of social issues in practice, such as injustice and inequality [ 10 , 21 ]. Sustainable urban renewal integrates the three dimensions of facilitating economic growth, improving the environment, and enhancing social vitality [ 22 ].…”

Stakeholders’ Resistance in Single Building Renewal: Bagdat Avenue, Istanbul

“…Because the affected residents in rehabilitation projects do not move out of the old neighborhoods, the rehabilitation of their neighborhoods and dwellings are their core interests (Zhuang, 2017). Another research carried out in Shanghai by He et al in 2019 revealed that initial expectation in a transformation project is "economic benefits for governments and other stakeholders" (He et al, 2019).…”