Research On The Transformation From Development Zone To Comprehensive New Town In China's Cities

Since the establishment of the development zones in the coastal cities of China in 1984, a large number of development zones have come into being from coastland to inland in the period of reform and opening. As "a new economic growth point", development zones have vigorously promoted the region's rapid economic development and improved the overall quality. However, in order to adapt to the changing external environment and break away from their own weaknesses, the development zones have come into the adjustive and transition phase since the late 1990s. Through the second pioneering strategy marked by a large-scale urban construction, part of them based better conditions walked up the evolution way from development zones to comprehensive new towns. The phenomenon differs from the traditional way of new town development in foreign countries.In recent years, many scholars studied the future fate of the development zone from different angles. However, the study of transition strategy of new town is limited to state-level development zones in coastal metropolitan areas, and the study of provincial-level development zones in the western city is little. The practice of Baiyin Western Economic Development Zone is widely representative of the phenomenon transition from development zone to comprehensive new town. Combined with the phenomenon of sate-level development zone, this article summarized the possibility and necessity, the process and characteristics, general strategy of the transition from development zone to comprehensive new town. Based on the background of system, from the three aspects-local government system, social structure and economic system, the article analyzed of this particular phenomenon.The core case studies of this article aimed at the transformation from Baiyin western development zone to the comprehensive new city. This article analyzed the necessity and significance of the transition from development pressure, industry proliferation, economic transition and land use direction. The evolution stage is divided into simple industrial zone and comprehensive new town. The size of development zone, the distance between development zone and the old city, the planning guidance of development zone, the improving of traffic conditions and the drive of administrative center are the conditions for the transition. The dynamic mechanisms of transformation are the drive of system, policies and regulations, urbanization and self-interest. For Baiyin Western Development Zone, the specific strategies of the transformation are to improve urban functions, increase the rate of land use and focus on the changes of development phase. Finally, based on the analysis of the current environmental situation, this article proposed that the future development way of Baiyin Western Development Zone is "regional integration + reconstruction of the new town" and prospected whether it can successfully transform to comprehensive new town.