Changsha, Hunan：Let's see how urban renewal under the "Changsha model" is gradually changing

From the Fisherman's Wharf to the crowded Huangxing Road Pedestrian Street, Changsha has transformed the old town around the core business district into a neighborhood with modern atmosphere and historical charm through urban renewal actions, which has "captured" people's hearts in one fell swoop.
Changsha is an important node city of the "Belt and Road" and the central city of the Yangtze River Economic Belt.
Next, we will introduce how urban renewal under the "Changsha model" has gradually changed from the four levels of urban renewal, and see how Changsha retains the footsteps of citizens and tourists, as well as the true character of the city.

1) A model for urban renewal:Innovate the "six-step work method".
The rapid development of urban modernization has had a profound impact on the living environment, and creating a sustainable, healthy and livable urban environment has become a top priority.
Changsha regards the city as an "organic life", takes the urban physical examination as the entry point, and innovates the "six-step work method", that is, from the urban physical examination, improve the organizational mechanism, prepare the planning plan, classify the implementation of updates, implement dynamic monitoring, and release the livability index, explore a livable and contented city construction road based on the urban physical examination, urban renewal as the path, and the information platform as the support.
At the same time, Changsha put forward a list of urban renewal projects based on urban physical examination, launched the implementation of the city's five-year urban renewal action plan, and promoted the urban renewal work of "one line, two belts, and multiple districts and several points" in the main urban area in a steady and orderly manner.

2) First of all, the urban physical examination is launched: guided by scientific precision.
Changsha City takes the urban physical examination as a pre-requisite element of the renewal of the area, and through the urban physical examination, focusing on the revitalization of the stock, the three-level project library of "area-unit-project" is established in a hierarchical and classified manner to guide the implementation of urban renewal projects.
In 2022, Changsha compiled the Technical Guidelines for Urban Physical Examination and Planning of Urban Renewal Areas (Units), which clarified the process and content of urban physical examination and planning, as well as the bottom-line requirements of renewal work, and analyzed the necessity and feasibility of area renewal based on the two key factors of land elements and population distribution, providing a more scientific and accurate reference for the implementation of urban renewal projects.
During the pilot period, Changsha has also launched and implemented a number of urban renewal projects in key areas to promote the re-improvement of urban functions, the re-optimization of industrial layout, and the re-improvement of the living environment.

3) Urban organic renewal: Carry out cultural context protection and urban function upgrading at the same time.
Equal emphasis is placed on the protection and utilization of the urban context, which ensures the continuity and inheritance of the traditional context. In recent years, Changsha has successively renovated 14 historical districts and historical areas such as Baiguoyuan and Xiyuan Beili, built 70 kilometers of historical and cultural trails, repaired more than 80 historical buildings such as Chengqian Mansion and the former site of Jinjiu activities, and Chaozong Street Historic District, Taiping Ancient Street and other places have become "check-in places", which not only polishes the gold-lettered signboard of "historical and cultural city", but also carries the city's real life.
The optimization and improvement of urban functional facilities allow people to integrate into the high-quality new life of the city. Changsha City has launched 16 key areas in Guanshaling to promote the "integration of industry and city, medical city and education city", and at the same time take "the image of the city and the villagers get benefits" as the starting point and foothold, renovate 19 urban villages and improve the village environment.
At the same time, in accordance with the concept of "one street, one culture, one lane, one characteristic, and one step one scenery", Changsha has renovated and upgraded a total of 1,047 branch roads and alleys, and completed the construction and quality improvement of 30 street corner gardens, so that citizens can "go out to see green" and "add flowers and colors" to the city.

4) Improving the quality of the city: accelerating the construction of projects and improving the happiness index.
Changsha City firmly grasps the basic point of allowing the people to "live in peace", creates high-quality living space, improves the policy system, and has successively issued implementation opinions and technical standards to accelerate the transformation of old urban communities, comprehensively promote urban renewal, expropriation of houses on state-owned land, renovation of urban dilapidated houses, and transformation of urban villages.
In view of the renovation of old urban communities, Changsha City has established a mechanism for the collection, use and renewal of maintenance funds for old communities, and issued the "Measures for the Management of Special Maintenance Funds for Property Properties of Old Urban Community Renovation Projects", which requires the old urban communities that have been renovated to set up maintenance fund accounts and clarify the collection standards, optimize the application method for the use of maintenance funds, build a smart supervision platform, and realize online deposit and online voting for the use of funds.
At the same time, Changsha City takes into account factors such as the construction age, historical and cultural value, and the feasibility of the implementation of technical solutions, and adopts the method of adapting measures to local conditions, implementing policies according to households, and classifying in batches to implement the renovation of urban dilapidated houses. Up to now, Changsha has renovated a total of 1,339 C- and D-level dilapidated houses, benefiting 8,549 residents, renovated 1,778 old urban communities, and completed the quality improvement and renovation of 306 existing communities.

The renovation project of the old community of Huapao community. [Photo/Chinajsb]

Houhu Urban Village Renovation Project. [Photo/Chinajsb]

Source: <https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/G1iS8AtjE3WczpjBB2012g>
Edited and Translated by Guan Tao