Nantong City Spatial Development Strategy

Cities are the concentrated places of industry and tertiary. Urban spatial structure is the reflection of sorts of human activity and urban functional systems on urban area. At the regional level, city can be seen as point, research focus is regional systems of cities. Nantong-the core city of municipality-is located at the intersection of changjiang River and the Eastsea, at the intersection of two national development corridors. Nantong is the nodal city where the Ning-tong urban corridor intersects with Lian-Tong urban corridor. Nantong municipality is a part of shanghai Metropolitan area. At the city level, there are several uniquenesses concerning the internal spatial structure of Nantong. Firstly, the historical development is obviously visiable. Since the development of modern industries, the spatial pattern of one main center with several surrounding towns was shaped. Secondly, there is firm relationship between the development of Nantong and the port. With the development of Nantong Development Zone and the construction of Nantong port clusters the part economy and foreign-oriented economy have contributed to the adjustment structure and rationalization of the industries, thus the evolution of urban spatial structure. As a result, the spatial pattern of several urban clusters along the changjiang River is beginning to emerge, such a structure with urban functions dispersed excessive early has, however, led to the weakenness of the agglomeration effect of core city, and the increase of difficulties for the construction of urban infrastructure. Meanwhile, such a structure also affects the development and use of changjiang port resources, and the increase of overall urban power. Several suggestions concerning the planning adjustment are given, On the basis of the past comprehensive planning, (a) Under the current macroeconomic conditions the construction focus should be the cluster of ports, develop port economy and marine economy which would make the industrial structure rational, (b) To make the central city functions perfect and to enlarge the agglomeration and diffusion powers of the central city. The recent development of Nantong should centred on agglomeration, but the future development should be along the changjiang corridor, (c) To optimize the urban arrangement, and to mould a new Nantong image, which reflects the current era, the historical culture, and the characteristic of changjiang River and the sea. (d) To strengthen the adjustment of administrative division, taking Tongzhou city as a part of Nantong urban comprehensive planning area, in order to make common planning and rational functional division.