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Towards Sustainable Neighborhoods: Challenges and Opportunities for Neighborhood Planning in Transitional Urban China

Author

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  • Qi Zhang

    (Building and Real Estate Department, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong 999077, China)

  • Esther Hiu Kwan Yung

    (Building and Real Estate Department, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong 999077, China)

  • Edwin Hon Wan Chan

    (Building and Real Estate Department, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong 999077, China)

Abstract

Unlike many developed countries where sustainable development has been implemented at neighborhood scale, sustainable planning research and action has still been concentrated at the national level and little has focused on the neighborhood level in China. This issue was highlighted by the demand of facilitating sustainable development and significant transition of the socio-political context, which made the development of neighborhood planning even more urgent and challenging. Hence, this study aims to identify the major challenges, particularly related to the institutional aspects, for adopting neighborhood planning in the local community in China. Comprehensive literature review was employed to demonstrate the crucial position of institutional elements in facilitating sustainable neighborhood development and planning. A comparative study of the common characteristics for adopting neighborhood planning in four different countries was conducted. Based on the characters, the possible barriers hindering the practice of neighborhood planning in China were proposed and then validated with the in-depth expert interviews. The results show that there is little support from national policy and local governance, ambiguous legislation on community public management, as well as inadequate public participation and a weak sense of community. Corresponding policy implications and recommendations are included to provide insight for planners and decision makers to better utilize neighborhood planning to achieve sustainable urban development.

Suggested Citation

  • Qi Zhang & Esther Hiu Kwan Yung & Edwin Hon Wan Chan, 2018. "Towards Sustainable Neighborhoods: Challenges and Opportunities for Neighborhood Planning in Transitional Urban China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-23, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:2:p:406-:d:130211
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Anna Runge & Iwona Kantor-Pietraga & Jerzy Runge & Robert Krzysztofik & Weronika Dragan, 2018. "Can Depopulation Create Urban Sustainability in Postindustrial Regions? A Case from Poland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-18, December.
    2. Wei Wang & Yun Gao & Adrian Pitts & Lili Dong, 2023. "A Bibliometric Analysis of Neighborhood Sense of Community," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-18, February.
    3. Lixin Liu & Jiawen Chen & Qingnan Cai & Yaofu Huang & Wei Lang, 2020. "System Building and Multistakeholder Involvement in Public Participatory Community Planning through Both Collaborative- and Micro-Regeneration," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-19, October.
    4. Zongxiang Wang & Tianhao Chen & Wei Li & Kai Zhang & Jianwu Qi, 2023. "Construction and Demonstration of the Evaluation System of Public Participation Level in Urban Planning Based on the Participatory Video of ‘General Will—Particular Will’," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-17, January.
    5. Ali Cheshmehzangi & Ayotunde Dawodu & Wangyang Song & Yuzhu Shi & Yuwei Wang, 2020. "An Introduction to Neighborhood Sustainability Assessment Tool (NSAT) Study for China from Comprehensive Analysis of Eight Asian Tools," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-29, March.
    6. Carmela Gargiulo & Antonio Sforza & Claudio Sterle & Floriana Zucaro, 2018. "An Optimization Model Fitting the Neighborhood Sustainability Assessment Tools," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-16, September.
    7. Qi Zhang & Esther Hiu-Kwan Yung & Edwin Hon-Wan Chan, 2021. "Meshing Sustainability with Satisfaction: An Investigation of Residents’ Perceptions in Three Different Neighbourhoods in Chengdu, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-32, November.

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