Changsha to renovate key areas in 5 years

Children are playing in a renovated community. [Photo/IC Photo]

Changsha, capital of Central China's Hunan province, is the political, economic, cultural, transportation, science and technology, financial, and information center of the province. It is a node city of the city cluster along the Yangtze's middle reaches and the Yangtze Economic Belt.

In recent years, it has vigorously pushed forward urban renewal work, accelerated the construction of urban renewal, and achieved significant results in living environment improvement.

In January 2019, the government set up the Urban Human Settlements Bureau ahead of the majority of Chinese cities. In 2021, it clarified a five-year plan, three-year action plan and annual tasks, which call for the urban renewal of key areas to be basically completed within five years.

They include comprehensively renovating the area along the Beijing-Guangzhou Railway, as well as renovating 1085 C- and D-level dilapidated houses and 944 old urban communities within three years.

This year, the renovation and renewal work was carried out in 352 old residential areas, 3,061 shantytowns, 500 dilapidated houses, four historic districts, and three new villages in cities, involving a total area of 5.6 million square meters.

Renovated Duzheng Street, Furong district, Changsha has a traditional architectural style. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Changsha has worked out a number of policies to focus on land use, special incentives and subsidies for urban renewal areas, comprehensive renovation of old communities, and support for public service facilities. The government has promoted the transformation and upgrading of key areas and old communities, formulated other supporting policies related to urban renewal planning, finance and taxation, and clarified 63 specific requirements in six categories, such as house safety management, 5G infrastructure development, new energy charging piles, elevator installation, and enhancing public spaces.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Changsha will aim to build a national central city and improve the vitality and quality of the city, as well as actively explore a gradual and sustainable organic renewal model.

Renovated Duzheng Street, Furong district, Changsha has a traditional architectural style. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]