Chongqing- Recently, the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Planning and Natural Resources issued the Chongqing urban renewal planning and design guidelines to improve functional facilities and urban quality. 

Chongqing proposed distinctive strategies for each category targeting the four most representative areas of the old communities, commercial districts, factories, and neighborhoods. 

Urban renewal plan 

According to the Chongqing Housing and Urban-Rural Construction Commission, the city launched Chongqing's urban renewal plan in 2018. This involved everything from urban planning, construction, management, transportation, infrastructure, ecology, and humanities to public services and innovation, laying a solid foundation for the urban renewal actions.

The keyword of urban renewal also appeared in the government work report delivered by Premier Li Keqiang during the 2022 Two Sessions. 

This time, the related official introduced that Chongqing will adhere to a people-centered philosophy in planning guidelines, aiming for joint construction, governance, and sharing based on the people's actual needs. 

The urban renewal planning should align with territorial spatial strategy at the national level. Furthermore, it must be adjusted to local conditions and act according to circumstances. 

Four categories of characteristics 

The four categories of characteristics refer to four types of Chongqing's most representative renewal areas, encompassing old communities, old commercial districts, old factories, and old neighborhoods. 

The guideline is made for each category targeting the different status quo, resources, and existing problems. 

First, the renewal of old communities is planned as a micro-renewal approach to enhance the people's sense of well-being, gain, and security. 

Chongqing will improve community facilities and strengthen the construction of public transport to preserve community history and culture, repair public space, and revitalize unused resources. 

Second, the renewal of old commercial districts emphasizes the development of differences and complementary features among commercial areas to enhance the experience and interaction of retail space. 

To create a composite, experiential, full-time, intelligent business district, Chongqing takes steps to guide the public function business districts to extend to the surrounding areas in an orderly manner. 

Improving the internal traffic organization of bus priority and pedestrian priority, increasing underground garage connections, and shaping urban landmarks are some of the initiatives proposed in the plan. 

Third, the renewal of old factories focuses on highlighting cultural heritage and characteristics.

Ecological restoration, environmental landscape creation, and other measures will help build more charming public spaces and functions in the city to facilitate the transformation and upgrading of old factories. 

Finally, the renewal of old neighborhoods underlines the development of innovative business models and historical stories based on the protection, repair, activation, and utilization of historical and cultural resources.