Guangzhou made public Tuesday (Jan 26) an ambitious facelift plan that will cost nearly 100 billion RMB (15 billion USD), will mean demolishing more than 10 percent of the old town's built-up area and will necessitate relocating 600,000 people.
The city's Bureau of Urban Planning is inviting public views after putting on its Web site a preliminary urban renewal framework for the city's development from now to 2020. The 15-day consultation, which began Monday, will last until Feb. 10.
The bureau said that protecting Guangzhou's monuments and heritage was a long-running and challenging task, and the public's participation would be encouraged. The public is also invited to propose buildings and streets with industrial, cultural and religious significance, as well as ancestral halls and arcade houses with significant historical value, to be included in a listing of protected historical sites and monuments.
This is the largest old-town renovation plan by Guangzhou, which aims to free up land and beautify the city landscape, since the government announced a massive urban-redevelopment project in downtown Haizhu District two years ago. Under that plan, old buildings were slated for repair on the south bank of the Pearl River, which demanded the relocation of 20,000 people.
The new scheme will be co-ordinated and financed by the city government, though the authorities are considering bringing in market investment, as well as improving efficiency, in a bid to reduce the government's financial burden. Cultural heritage projects and monument protection will be paid for by district and city governments.
The citywide scheme will cover historical heritage and monuments, and will revitalize 54 sq km of old town stretching across Yuexiu, Liwan and Haizhu districts. Many features in that area are around 30 years old.
According to official figures, the old-town area will be redeveloped into four specific zones: 1.08 sq km of preserved heritage sites; 3.23 sq km of streets and buildings with significant cultural, architectural and industrial legacy; a 20.39 sq km landscape-lifestyle co-ordination area; and a general town area covering 33.61 sq km. There are around 2 million residents living in the four zones.
