Summary of Background
A modern mega-city ultimately depends on strength, practice and practical action instead of boasting. Over the past year, Yichang Municipal Committee and Yichang Municipal Government have been promoting city planning from a high starting point, improving urban functions at high criterion and coordinating development of urban-rural area at high standard, in accordance with the general requirements of "building Yichang into a large, strong, super and beautiful city", which has improved the comprehensive capabilities of Yichang City.
“At the end of gorges, the sun is rising from afar; among the gentle mountains and vast expanse of water, a big city is standing there.” These words tell us Yichang City in the eye of famous poet Guo Moruo.
Today, four million people in Yichang get together to draw a new picture of the city and to stride towards the new goal of building Yichang into a large strong, super and beautiful megacity.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, Yichang insists on planning from a high starting point, constructing on high criterion, managing on high level and operating at high effectiveness. It also boosts the Old District based on the New District\'s expansion and coordinates the development of urban-rural area on the basis of the development of central area so as to fully improve the comprehensive functions of the modern megacity. Up to now, Yichang central city covers a built- area of 130 square kilometers with a population of more than 1.3 million.
Meng Jianzhu, member of Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Secretary of CPC Central Committee of Political and Legislative Affairs, arrived at Yichang to carry out the investigation and hear the reports on September 25. At the sight of its rapid changing rate, Meng recalled his visit to Yichang 4 years ago and got amazed at the refreshing city. Now the modern city is clean and tidy, beautiful and stylish.
In the midst of a new round of urbanization, Yichang needs the scientific design, systematic scheme and urban planning from a high starting point.
A new great wave of urbanization emerges all around the country.
Now, GDP per capita has exceeded 10,000$ with an urbanization rate of more than 50%, which marks Yichang has entered in the acceleration period of urbanization.
Faced with new changes and opportunities, Huang Chuping, Member of Hubei Provincial Standing Committee and Secretary of Yichang Municipal Party Committee, stated that following the wave of urbanization and building the modern megacity conform to the necessary choices and objective requirements of economic and social development in Yichang.
The experience of developed areas tells us that we must adhere to the principle of planning first when developing industries or constructing cities. Top-notch city planning is the base for top-notch city construction.
Yichang Municipal Committee and Yichang Municipal Government put the overall planning at the first place and appointed the top professional organization---China Urban Planning & Design Institute to revise the overall construction planning.
Hubei Provincial Committee and Hubei Provincial Government held a special session to hear reports on the revision of the Yichang overall planning in Wuhan on August 17 last year. Li Hongzhong, Secretary of Hubei Provincial Party Committee, and Wang Guosheng, Governor of Hubei Province, affirmed that urban planning was at high level, and pointed out the importance of idea to build Yichang into a megacity,. The idea fully reflected that Yichang Municipal Committee and Yichang Municipal Government attached much importance to urban planning with great enterprising spirit.
In February, Hubei Provincial Government approved the Yichang Urban Overall Planning Proposal. On the principles of megacity construction, postmodernism and global scope, it highlighted the structural layout stretching along the Yangtze River, the development across the river and the extension vertically from therRiver. And Yichang New District would consist of “one center and five sub-centers, one belt and four corridors”. "One center" refers to Yichang central city; "Five sub-centers" means Dangyang District, Zhijiang District, Yidu District, Longzhouping County in Changyang and Maoping County in Zigui; “One belt” is equal to the development belt alongside the Yangtze River; “Four corridors” is equivalent to four urban development corridors. A group, network and ecological urban system will be established.
According to the overall planning, the New District will cover an area of 220 square kilometers, including the land for construction with an area of 105 square kilometers. How to plan and build Yichang New District ? Yichang was open to domestic and overseas designing schemes on the New District Planning.
More than 120 design institutes at home and abroad like American AECOM, Germany SBA, Dutch ARCADIS and Singaporean UCI, participated in the collection activity. Finally, Dutch ARCADIS and Wuhan Planning & Design Institute were selected ones in a million to make the Overall Construction Planning of Yichang New District through international public bidding and top expert reviews.
Experts all agree that the New District Planning not only embodies the new requirements about development of Yichang raised by central and provincial leaders, but also shows classic domestic planning & design demands from an international view.
During he special session in Wuhan held by Hubei Provincial Committee and Hubei Provincial Government on April 12, Li Hongzhong, Secretary of Hubei Provincial Party Committee, and Wang Guosheng, Governor of Hubei Province, highly praised the Overall Construction Planning. "It is shocking and encouraging to integrate the national equality with international view ", they said.
Dr. Liu Yong, a researcher at the Development Research Center of the State Council and director at the Development Strategy and Regional Economy Research Department of the State Council, appreciated: "Building a modern megacity is an inevitable choice for the future development of Yichang and the embodiment of new national urbanization strategy. \'235\' strategic objectives are very insightful. And the concept of building Yichang into a large strong, super and beautiful megacity is incisive.
Join the boom of central city expansion and upgrade, build new districts and clear up old districts
Improve city functions at high standards
What is population density in the old districts of Yichang? Data shows that the largest area has reached 60,000 people/km?, which is more than the first-tier cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.
People living in the old district are easy to find series of challenges of transportation, housing pressure, exceeding population density in certain areas, saturation of environmental capacity etc.
City expansion and upgrade is imperative. Expansion is to construct the new districts and upgrade is to clear up the old district.
51 major projects with total investment of 16.7 billion yuan collectively started on March 21st, Since then construction of the new districts kicked off. Up to November 12th, 92 major projects have commenced, reaching a total investment of 38.78 billion yuan.
The new district’s shape looks like a butterfly flying around the old district in the planning map. In the future, south district and north district of the Yangtze River in the central city will be connected through Yiling Bridge, Miaozui Bridge and Wujiagang Bridge, forming a new city with one river across and two banks along each side.
A construction leading group is set up, which is in the charge of Huang Chuping, the Provincial Party Committee member and Secretary of the Municipal Committee and Ma Xuming, Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Committee and the Mayor. At the same time, a Promotion Office is also set up, which is led by Mao Chuanqiang, the Municipal Committee member and Vice Mayor.
The new district, in rapid expansion, adheres to the “Four First” ---- the road network first, public construction first, placement first and ecology first. Take the road network as an example, cross-district ring road, BRT, chronic system, greenway system and micro-circulatory system will be built in the new district, which will provide more options for citizens.
On September 30th, the fourth plenary session about the construction of the new districts is held in Yichang, requiring further innovative institutional mechanisms, highlighting the leading of projects, improving of work style and creating new advantages and atmosphere in the construction to achieve the stated target smoothly.
Currently, each project is boosting rapidly and orderly. The Wahaha Shopping Plaza with total investment of 5 billion has officially started. Zong Qinhou, the Chairman and General Manager of Hangzhou Wahaha Group, said that this project would be a consumption and leisure platform meeting the needs of all consumers. The project will also be a “demonstration project" in the respect of image, brand, speed and efficiency and a central landmark as well as a new window to the outside world. “We must always work for the construction of the new districts and at the same time for clearing up the old districts. We must promote the central city expansion and upgrade.” Huang Chuping said that we must put afforesting, beautifying and lighting project into operation according to the requirement of “cleanness, green, brightness, beauty, quiet and smoothness”, further improving the quality of the city and improving the image of the city.
Yichang put into effect on afforestation and beautification on February 19th--- the fourth working day after the New Year. As of now, the city afforesting proportion reaches 160 km?, with 9,050,000 trees. The beautification projects focus on the clearing up the area along the seven trunk roads, including the facade of 122 existing buildings, the landscape style fence of 30 buildings under construction and brightening of 35 buildings. “Beautiful Yichang” is drawing the world\'s attention with her unique charm.
Drive into the “fast track” of economic development, corner beyond and try to be the first
Coordinate urban and rural development at High Level
May 9th, morning, Yidu.
Relevant departments led by Huang ChuPing and Ma Xuming arrived Yidu and planned to support Yidu to be the top 100 cities in China .
Realization of the megalopolis dream needs the effort of the five counties, three county-level cities and five districts. Making Yidu to be the top 100 cities has been included as an important content of constructing a modern megacity.
Yidu, the top three in Hubei county economy for ten consecutive years, are struggling to be the top 100 cities in China.
Besides Yidu, Zhijiang and Dangyang are also struggling to be the top 100 cities.
Leaders of Municipal Party Committee compare the five counties, three county-level cities, five districts and the high-tech zone to 14 “little tigers” who boost scientific development by leaps and bounds in Yichang. And the whole city will be able to develop with the effort of each “little tiger”.
On November 25, heavy trucks, bulldozers and excavators are booming a deafening roar in Yichang Biological Industrial Park. As of that day, the Industrial Park brings in 49 projects and the agreement investment amounts to 27 billion yuan; 31 projects are under construction and the fixed asset investment reaches 40 billion yuan.
The scene of racing against time, seizing the day could be seen at any time in the counties, county-level cities and districts.
Municipal Committee and Government strongly support the development of Yichang high-tech zones, speed up the building of the city \'s economic development core area and reform and innovate experimental area and urban construction; They support accelerate development of Yiling, Xiling, Wujiagang, Dianjun and Xiaoting and constantly consolidation of the leading position of urban economy. Meanwhile, Municipal Committee and Government support Yuanan, Xingshan, Zigui and Changyang at the forefront of economic and social development in the province of mountain counties, and Wufeng at “the second phalanx” in the province of county economy.
Coordination urban and rural development at high level has achieved remarkable results. At present, the urban economy further enhances its leading position with the proportion of the total economic output over 51%. New urbanization continues to accelerate and the city\'s urbanization rate reaches 53%. More than 8,000 officials join the construction of “beautiful countryside” and rural sanitation and villages’ appearance have been greatly improved. (Reporter Liu Zirong)