Construction cranes and the hum of machinery now dominate a long-dormant industrial site in Shenbei New District, where a modern factory is rapidly taking shape. This transformation is far from an isolated case. As Chinese cities universally transition from a "pancake-style" expansion model to a more constrained "second half" of development with increasingly scarce spatial resources, a fundamental question confronts all decision-makers: where will the land for future growth come from? The practices in Shenyang offer a bold and insightful answer, revealing not just techniques for revitalizing land but also a profound evolution in the development logic of a major metropolis.
The challenge of "replacing the old" is central to urban progress, as land is the primary requirement for both city development and project implementation. For decades, the prevailing model involved drawing new circles on maps and continuously pushing urban boundaries outward. While this "growth-is-king" approach fueled economic miracles, it also incurred significant resource costs. Today, with construction land quotas tightening and vast tracts of acquired-but-unused land lying idle on the books, a harsh reality must be faced: the old path of extensive expansion is no longer viable.
The core of urban development lies in industry and public livelihood, with land being the critical resource requiring prudent use. The current predicament stems from the conflict between the "flood irrigation" approach to land utilization and the "precision drip irrigation" needed for high-quality development. On one hand, large amounts of approved land remain dormant, leading to resource misallocation; on the other, promising projects struggle to find suitable sites.
Breaking this deadlock requires looking inward for potential and seeking space from existing inventory. This tests decision-makers' resolve and wisdom in "replacing the old with the new." The process involves not just freeing up idle land but also discarding outdated development concepts and inefficient resource allocation models. It represents an alchemical transformation within existing spaces and an inward-facing self-reform—without clearing the old, there is no room for the new.
The project by Shenyang Huicheng Condiment Company serves as a vivid example of this "new bird" replacement strategy. The key challenge lies in precisely matching dormant industrial land with capable, promising enterprises, which tests governmental service capabilities. Whereas companies previously had to navigate multiple departments sequentially, the city's Natural Resources Bureau now adopts a "specialists revolve around projects" approach.
By establishing dedicated one-on-one service teams, the bureau bundles and parallel-processes procedures such as equity changes, land use formalities, and construction permits that previously required sequential handling. This shift from passive approval to proactive "preemptive involvement" is crucial for enhancing the efficiency of factor allocation, sending a clear signal that the government's role has transformed from a superior "approval authority" to a "partner" working alongside enterprises.
The core of this replacement technique lies in precision. As relevant officials from the Natural Resources Bureau stated, factor support should not be like "scattering pepper" but rather "precision drip irrigation." This demands that the government develop a discerning eye to identify which enterprises truly drive industrial upgrading and create social value, then tailor service solutions accordingly, ensuring that precious land resources flow to where they are most needed and can generate the greatest value.
Following the replacement process, the more critical phase is "intensive cultivation." Revitalizing existing land is not merely a game of filling vacancies but a systematic project to reshape urban spatial patterns and enhance the city's intrinsic quality. The limitation in urban development lies in spatial resource bottlenecks, while the transformation involves shifting from pursuing scale to pursuing quality.
Shenyang's exploration extends beyond industrial land. When formulating planning conditions for residential projects, mandatory requirements for supporting facilities such as elderly care, child services, and community amenities are simultaneously strengthened to promote the development of "complete communities." This reflects a deeper urban governance philosophy: the value of land should not be measured solely by economic output but must also consider social benefits and ecological value.
This implies that urban planners must turn away from dependence on "land finance" and become more adept "spatial magicians." They must skillfully plan and efficiently configure limited land to overlay multiple functions—incorporating industrial vitality, residential appeal, and ecological stability. This represents the ultimate goal of the "intensive and economical" concept and is essential for building a "modern people-centric city."
In summary, a city's growth resembles that of a living organism. When external expansion reaches its limits, it must turn inward to enhance metabolic processes and improve operational efficiency. Shenyang's practice of revitalizing existing land constitutes such a profound "metabolism," exploring a new urban development path that shifts from "seeking increments" to "excavating inventory" and from "pursuing scale" to "enhancing quality." This is not only a mandatory question for Shenyang but a common examination paper for all major Chinese cities facing the future.