Research On Townlet Development Planning Based On The Growth Pole Theory

Townlet is not only an essential ingredient in the course of urbanization, but oneof the most dynamic demonstrations. From the angle of spatial expression, townletconnects to the city as a “receiver” on the one hand, with influencing function amongthe urbanization of large and medium-sized cities; it also connects the village as an“emitter” on the other, which plays an important role as the political, economic andcultural center in the rural areas while coordinating the development of variousindustries and conducting the influence of urbanization by undertaken the developmentof surrounding villages. As to the development and planning problem of townlet, the“Small Town; Big Problem” proposed from the mid-and-late1980s has alreadyupgraded to “Small Town; Grand Strategy” level. Compared with the generaldevelopment condition of Chongqing townlet and other domestic townlet, the formerone still lies in the “shadow” of development condition of China’s townlet. With theimplementation of urban and rural comprehensive reform pilot area, the developmentof Chongqing townlet is facing both new opportunities and challenges. Under suchcondition, it is of practical significance to study the development tendency and strategyof townlet.First, this article begins with the origin of growth pole theory, sorts thedevelopment process of relevant theoretical speech and summarizes the essentialconnotation and mechanism of action of growth pole theory. Meanwhile, through theformal expression and practical review, it draws a conclusion to the function of growthpole theory, which is from non-balanced development to relative equilibriumcirculating process. Based on such foundation, this article proposes “five basicconditions” requiring in the construction of townlet growth pole: regional background,industrial base, associated power, gradual development as well as governmentintervention.Second, according to the research ideas of growth pole theory, this articleanalyzes the development background of townlet from different regions and areas, anddraws a conclusion by combining the development of urban system of Chongqing City:Megalopolis and small city account for a small proportion while townlet scatters over alarge area, and the distribution of regional disparity also presents a macro“disequilibrium” development background. Besides, integrated with the county territory level of Kaixian County under the middle development background, thisarticle also analyzes the spatial feature of townlet, suggesting that under thebackground of non-balanced development, we should begin from the most basicunit—development planning of townlet growth pole, which emphasizes functionalcharacteristics of townlet growth pole and put forward “Four Development and ControlPrinciples”: overall planning, sustainability, market orientation and comparativeadvantage. From the angle of micro level, a specific SWOT analysis is conducted baseon Changsha Town as townlet growth pole, and draws a conclusion to the cultivationidea and development goal of townlet growth pole.In conclusion, based on the development planning of Changsha Town as reference,this article proposes a specific direction on developing Changsha Town to townletgrowth pole. It emphasizes the combination of “dot-line-area” existing in the growthpole theory by initially boosting the development of “dot” polarization, taking thefunctional structure optimization of township as orientation, and expounding thetypical development planning of “dot polarization” such as “renovation and protectionof old district”,“constriction of new urban district” and “industrial parks”. From pointto line, it points out the construction of main media such as arterial traffic, informationnetworks, guiding the serial development caused by spreading effect and polarizationbetween dot and axle so as to reach to associated goal of network in the optimizingspace. Finally, after “dot polarization” and “dot and axle resonance”, townlet expandsthe influence of townlet growth pole to “area” through self-improvement. Thoughtop-down regional planning and bottom-up connection of rural hinterland, it will boostthe development goal of urbanization of the whole urban system, realize theimprovement of spatial organization, narrow the rural-urban differences and flourishthe comprehensive effects of spatial economy.