Urban Planning in China

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Urban Planning
Urban planning is critical for countries that want to ensure that more people live in urban areas. Different countries employ different methods of urban planning. China’s increasing population means that urbanization is the way to go. It is important to plan Chinese cities appropriately to ensure they are sustainable with the necessary infrastructure. China needs to avoid the problem of poor planning of citizens that Britain has experienced (Rudlin). Frameworks used vary from infrastructural, sustainable, and land use planning, where the latter is the most appropriate for China’s cities.
Infrastructure is critical in any city in China. It is the resources that make daily lives possible. Elements like water, sewerage system, road and rail network, electricity and bridges (public works infrastructure), Schools, hospitals and parks (community infrastructure), and police and fire facilities (Safety and transportation) ensure that residents can live comfortably in a city. Infrastructural planning involves the provision of physical facilities and their management. It is vital to the economic future of a city. Adequate infrastructure is critical for the economic development of China’s urban areas. Given that infrastructure is expensive, the planning process should be thorough. While infrastructural planning is key to China, financing remains a challenge. Municipalities cannot borrow externally and the local property taxes are not available (Wu and Gaubatz 187). Hence, local governments have to cope with finding shortfalls, which makes infrastructural planning chaotic.
Sustainable planning (also known as environmental) emphasizes protecting the environment from pollution and sustainably using resources. China’s economic and social gains have come at a cost for China particularly environmental degradation. China’s urban growth is causing greater energy and water use which is unsustainable. China is now the largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world (World Bank 25). The failure to consider the importance of the environment in urbanization could jeopardize the future of Chinese cities. Hence, through sustainable planning, China can manage to ensure that development protects the environment from pollution and degradation.
Land use planning is the most preferable approach to urban planning compared to the other methods outlined. Land utilization is key where individuals want to attain sustainability (Town Planning). China like other countries faces competing interests for the resources of the communities. Through land-use planning, community leaders allocate the particular resources as well as establish policies for the land to accelerate the most effective land development for the advantage of all the citizens in the given area. The needs of people in China’s urban areas must be satisfied. For instance, Chinese people require housing, jobs, transport, recreational facilities, an...