China City Planning Review (No.4, 2015)

♦A Retrospect and Prospect of Urban Models: Reflections after Interviewing Michael Batty

Author: Liu Lun, Long Ying, Michael Batty

Abstract: Based on an interview with Prof. Michael Batty, a leading scholar in urban modeling, this paper reviews the history of urban models, comments on their present developments and pictures their prospects. The first section briefly overviews the family tree of urban models and then looks further into the causes for their failure in planning application in the first upsurge of related research in the 1960s and 1970s. The second section summarizes the current development of urban models, which can be counted as the second upsurge of related research. It is estimated that more research attention will be paid to building dynamic, disaggregate, micro and problem-oriented models, with a combination of top-down and bottom-up modeling methods. This can be more capable of tackling the growing urban complexity and uncertainty. Meanwhile, the “big data era” also poses more opportunities for the development of urban models. The last section introduces three new trends in the theoretical, educational and research development of urban models, which compose the idea of “new science of cities” from Michael Batty, the start-up of quantitative urban research education and the establishment of Beijing City Lab.

Keywords: urban model; quantitative urban research; big data; Beijing City Lab; China

♦The Evolution of China’s Rural Governance System and Its Influences on Rural Spatial Planning

Author: Gu Chaolin, Tang Yan, Zhao Wenning

Abstract: This paper reviews the development process of China’s rural governance system, indicating that the current system of “township governance based on village autonomy” is facing a new situation such as the weakening governance capacity of grass-roots authorities and the emergence of new governing bodies. Aiming at promoting practical rural planning, the paper conducts research about the rural governance system, public goods supply, and rural planning reform. It divides the rural governance mechanisms on public goods supply into three categories: government, community and market. The paper then focuses on how to achieve a community-based supply of public goods via emerging “rural organizations,” as well as on how to transform the public service center allocation and spatial planning philosophy and methods in rural planning accordingly.

Keywords: urban and rural planning; urbanization; rural governance system; rural planning

♦Reform of Rural Planning in Southern Jiangsu in the Context of the New Normal: A Case Study of Suzhou

Author: Fan Lingyun, Shi Yihuan

Abstract: As China’s economic development enters the new normal stage, the rural development mode and trend will assume new features. Rural planning must be reformed to adapt to the new rural development law accordingly. Focusing on Southern Jiangsu where rural study and planning began earlier than other areas, this paper takes Suzhou as an example and analyzes the features of rural planning in Southern Jiangsu through stage division, based on the internal logic of new normal development. It points out that rural planning of Southern Jiangsu has experienced a “normal to abnormal” development transition. After summarizing existing problems in the planning process, as well as new demands brought to planning by rural development under the new normal stage, this paper also puts forward the reform directions and thoughts of rural planning in Southern Jiangsu from the perspectives of planning value idea, planning drafting system, and planning management mechanism.

Keywords: new normal; rural planning; Southern Jiangsu

♦“Three-Plan Integration”: Exploring the Order and Regulation Capacity of Spatial Planning

Author: Zhu Jiang, Deng Mulin, Pan An

Abstract: China’s spatial planning system has a tradition of prioritizing vertical control over horizontal coordination, which leads to conflicts among various plans for one area. This has brought many problems to the spatial management of Chinese cities. Since socioeconomic development plan, urban-rural plan, and land use plan are the three major elements of China’s spatial planning system, conflicts among them can be taken as an intensified case of the system’s problems, and the practice of three-plan integration should focus on bridging the gaps and solving conflicts among them, so as to eventually eliminate predicaments to China’s spatial planning. Currently, due to influences of the actual law and governance systems, three-plan integration is largely a sort of government-led planning coordination dedicated to urban-rural spatial development. In the context of China’s constantly deepened political and economic system reforms, three-plan integration, together with the extended multi-plan integration, will surely play an important role in the construction and exploration of China’s spatial planning system.

Keywords: three-plan integration; spatial planning system; socio-economic development plan; urban-rural plan; land use plan

♦Objective System and Coordination Mechanism Design for “Multi-Planning System Integration”

Author: Xu Jingquan, Shen Chi

Abstract: One of the hot issues to realize the multi-planning system integration is to explore the inter-planning coordination mechanism breaking current technical and system restrictions. The essence of planning disintegration is the disconnection of their objective system, indicator system, and spatial coordinate system. Few studies have been conducted on this issue. This paper analyzes the manifestations and causes of the “three-system dissociation,” and proposes to establish a new objective system. In addition, it proposes to strengthen the connection design, aiming to explore effective ways to realize inter-planning connection and coordination.

Keywords: multi-planning system integration; objective system; connection design; three-system connection; connection and coordination mechanism

♦The Essence and Planning Compilation of “Multi-Planning System Integration”: A Case Study on Urban-Rural Integrated Planning of Dali City

Author: Su Han, Chen Hao

Abstract: As multi-planning system integration is an important approach to planning compilation and management in the new era, this paper sums up the essence of multi-planning system integration based on the analysis on the differences and similarities of various plans. In addition, it explores, from the perspective of planning compilation and implementation, a general multi-planning system integration means on the basis of spatial elements, authority management, and technical standards. It then summarizes the key outcome: one plan, database, coordination mechanism, and so on, discovering a new planning compilation and management approach for regional coordination, ecological coexistence, urban-rural interaction, and efficient resource utilization.

Keywords: multi-planning system integration; one plan; planning compilation; planning management

♦Promoting the Transformation of Government Function for Achieving the Coordinated Urban-Rural Development of Resources and Environment: Practice of “Multi-Plan Integration” in Xiamen

Author: Wang Menghui

Abstract: This paper analyzes the main problems in China’s urban planning and construction, including conflicts among various spatial plans, the lack of a unified spatial planning management system, the inefficiency of examination and approval administration, and the social contradictions caused by unclear information. It articulates the significance of multi-plan integration from the viewpoints of implementing the national strategies issued by the central government, meeting the underlying demand of development transition of cities, and promoting the modernization of a city governance system and city governance capacity, etc. It introduces in detail the practice of multi-plan integration in Xiamen, which takes the urban development strategies in consensus as the top-level design, establishes a spatial planning system through the “strict control based on one blueprint” and the “coordinated management on one platform,” promotes the transformation of the government function via reforming the examination and approval administration system, and builds up a guarantee mechanism through the direct inspection by the top leader of the government and the joint efforts from the top to the bottom. It finally summarizes the effects of the practice of multi-plan integration in Xiamen and proposes some suggestions on further completing the spatial planning system, improving the examination and approval administration system, and accelerating the transformation of the government function, etc., in hope of serving as a reference for other Chinese cities.

Keywords: multi-plan integration; transformation of government function; coordinated development; Xiamen

♦Citizen Participation in Housing Requisition in Shanghai

Author: Xu Zhumin

Abstract: The changing regulatory regime in Shanghai requires residents’ participation to approve housing requisition decisions for inner-city redevelopment projects. Such policy reform creates a new discourse for urban redevelopment and housing requisition schemes. This article examines how and to what extent government authorities shape citizen participation in residential relocation and housing requisition in Shanghai. The analysis of this regulation regime helps us to better understand the importance of the role of residents in the decision-making of inner-city redevelopment. This article concludes by discussing policy implications of the regulations, including equitable outcomes particularly benefiting disadvantaged groups of people.

Keywords: citizen participation; inner-city redevelopment; housing requisition; equity

♦The Two Urban Planning Efforts of Shantou in the City Hall Era of the Republic of China

Author: Zheng Li

Abstract: This paper discusses Shantou’s two urban planning efforts in the City Hall era of the Republic of China, revealing how the two efforts help Shantou to become a modern city by analyzing the planning processes including data collection, planning analysis, functional zoning, road system design, and old city redevelopment. As pioneers of urban planning practice, the city executives and technical experts of Shantou set a goal to build the city into a “perfect region” and “Garden City,” aiming to create a precedent for “civil city development.” Based on institutional construction and the introduction of European and American urban planning theories and experience, the rebirth of Shantou City with business characteristics had been gradually achieved by modifying and improving its city plans.

Keywords: Shantou in the Republic of China; the City Hall era; urban planning