[Qianchuan and Panlong City, one ancient, one modern]
Among the several new urban districts in Wuhan, in terms of the number of city streets, Optics Valley, Dongxihu and Huangpi are undoubtedly the top three. Viewed from above, almost the entire area of Optics Valley is urbanized with dense streets. Dongxihu and Huangpi are not bad, and there are as many as six or seven urbanized streets. In contrast, Jiangxia's new urban area has only two main streets, Zhifang and Miaoshan. The new urban area of Xinzhou has more prominent urban streets such as Yicheng and Yangluo. In Caidian's new urban area, urbanized streets are relatively scarce.
In the process of urbanization in Huangpi, the most outstanding areas are Panlong City and Qianchuan. Among them, Maekawa is very strong because it is the residence of the ward office. Because of its geographical location, Panlong City has become the closest place to Hankou in the Huangpi region, and its development speed is also quite rapid. Overall, these two regions have performed prominently in the urbanization process of Huangpi.
As the administrative center of Huangpi District, Qianchuan has a historical background of nearly 1,000 years. As early as the Song Dynasty, the county town of Huangpi was moved to Qianchuan, and briefly moved to Qingshan after being attacked by the Mongols in the late Southern Song Dynasty, but it has remained here since the Yuan Dynasty. In contrast, while Panlong City was garrisoned by troops more than 3,500 years ago, it has not really developed into a city until the last 20 years due to the lack of continuity in its history.
In the southern part of Huangpi, the ancient and the modern, the historical and the present are blended and harmoniously coexist. This area not only carries the charm of traditional culture, but also integrates the atmosphere of modern civilization. Ancient elements and modern construction complement each other, and together they form a picture of harmonious symbiosis.
[Qianchuan and Panlong City, the built-up area of the city is too small, and the population is too small]
Although the geographical area of Maekawa Street is 148 square kilometers, the area that has been developed into a city is only about 15 square kilometers, and the urban population is less than 200,000. Looking at the Panlong City Development Zone, it covers an area of 88 square kilometers, but in addition to the water area such as lakes and rivers, the actual habitable and developed urban area is not large, only about 28 square kilometers, including the Songjiagang area. According to my actual measurements on satellite maps, the permanent population of the built-up areas of these cities is about 220,000 to 250,000. In general, although these two places are not small in size, the actual scale of urban development is relatively small, and the population is not too large.
Urban built-up area refers to an area in which the urban administrative development and construction has been completed, forming a large-scale residential area, and municipal and public facilities have also been basically improved.
With a total population of only about 200,000 in the two neighborhoods, commercial development is difficult. Despite its proximity to Hankou, Panlong City is still attractive to Hankou residents due to its unique business forms, such as outlet outlets. In contrast, Qianchuan is far away from the Third Ring Road, about 20 kilometers away, so its main consumer group is mainly local residents, and its commercial development is relatively limited.
When business is not active and there is a lack of development, the city becomes less attractive to outsiders. This attractiveness is very important for the long-term development of the city, and if the city's business is not developed enough, it will also become less attractive to the population. However, once a city reaches a certain stage of development, the rate of expansion becomes very slow. This is because it takes time for cities to adapt and adjust their economic, social, and cultural structures to maintain their continuous and stable development. Therefore, cities must focus on commercial prosperity and population growth in the process of development to maintain their vitality and attractiveness.
【Rural areas on the edge of the city】
At present, although there is still a lot of vacant land, it is not clear what the next direction of development will be, so the expansion process of the city is much slower.
For Panlong City outside the Third Ring Road, its development positioning has not yet been clarified. Does it want to be a satellite city that provides a good resting environment and serves the urban area of Hankou? Or do you want to develop your own industry and become a new city with unique charm like Optics Valley? If Panlong City aims to become a sleeping city, then its transportation network must be improved to make it easier for citizens to get around. At the same time, the internal public facilities also need to be improved to meet the living needs of residents. If Panlong City wants to achieve the development of industry-city integration, then in the context of its close proximity to the metropolis of Hankou, it needs to find its own unique advantages and development direction. In such fierce competition, how to differentiate from Hankou and create its own characteristics and highlights is a problem that Panlong City must think about.
The Maekawa area does lack diversified industries. The inhabitants are mainly made up of employees of the system and their families, as well as a few small businessmen. This industrial structure makes it difficult for the younger generation to stay in a stable manner, and it is also unattractive to outsiders. In general, to solve this problem, more industries and different directions of economic development need to be introduced.
As a result, there is no clear transition between urban and rural areas between the two blocks of the city, and the farmland covered by vegetable patches is right next to the towering skyscrapers.
【Vegetable fields in Maekawa and Panlong Castle】
On the south side of Panlong 1st Road, there is a photo shoot. This place was originally a plot of land for the developer of Sun Moon Landscape, but due to a ownership dispute with Huangpi, the land has been idle for more than ten years. Since it was not developed, the surrounding residents turned the area into a vegetable patch. Although the current situation of this area is different from the original plan, it has become a characteristic local landscape.
As you can see from the pictures, there are many vegetable patches and small shacks scattered throughout the wasteland. These shacks are supposed to be used to store vegetable tools, as everyone seems to live in an apartment building and it is not convenient to take the tools home. As for the ownership of the vegetable plot, it seems that the person who developed it first had the right to use the land. From an environmental point of view, due to the fence, it is impossible to see the inside of the vegetable patch from the road. As for the smell, I stood on the mound on the south side of the wasteland, took a deep breath, and did not notice the obvious smell of feces. So in general, the specifics of this wasteland need to be further understood.
In the southern part of Maekawa City, there are large vegetable patches in the vicinity of Ririn, Maekawa and Maekawa communities. In one picture, we can see that in the area of the new industrial city planned to be built by Huangpi, many vegetable greenhouses have been built by surrounding vegetable farmers. These vegetable plots are owned by the residents of the Lilin community, who enjoy stable property rights. Unlike the Panlong City area in other places, there is no unified management of land there. There is an old saying that "only when there is a stable industry can there be a stable business heart", which is also the reason why vegetable farmers in Qianchuan can invest in greenhouse planting. They believe that only with a stable industry can they maintain long-term planting confidence and investment willingness.
The smell of this place is very strong, mainly due to the fact that the locals are very picky and they are not very willing to buy vegetables grown with chemical fertilizers, so the vegetables in this area still retain their natural earthy taste. This causes the smell of manure to become particularly noticeable. In short, the smell here is strong because the locals like the natural taste and don't like the smell of fertilizer very much. As a result, the vegetables in this area have a unique earthy and fertilizer taste.
【Vegetable patches on the edge of the city】
Looking at the phenomenon of vegetable plots on the edge of the city from multiple perspectives: On the edge of the city, vegetable plots are widely distributed, and this phenomenon needs to be observed and understood from multiple perspectives. On the one hand, these vegetable plots are an important part of the city's green ecology, providing city residents with fresh ingredients and an experience close to nature. On the other hand, the existence of vegetable plots also reflects the use of land around the city, which has an important reference value for the study of urban development. However, we also have to see the other side of the existence of vegetable patches. From an economic point of view, vegetable plots may provide farmers with a stable source of income and support rural economic development. At the same time, the existence of vegetable plots may also bring certain challenges and opportunities to urban planning and development. In short, the phenomenon of vegetable plots deserves our attention and recognition from multiple perspectives. This is not only about ecology and green living, but also about the planning and future development of the city. Between the city and the countryside, we should respect the land and the ecology, while scientifically planning urban development, making full use of resources, and creating a better living environment for citizens.
From the point of view of protecting the environment, vegetable patches around the city play an important role. Not only do they provide certain services to the environment, such as absorbing pollutants and greenhouse gases from the air, but they also help to maintain the stability of the land's water supply. These services play a vital role in protecting and restoring the environment. To put it simply, these vegetable patches are like the "green lungs" of the city, helping to purify the air and maintain ecological balance.
From the point of view of food safety, vegetable patches around the city provide a healthy and fresh source of food for city dwellers. The vegetables, fruits and other agricultural products grown in these vegetable plots can be sold directly to the public, which can not only reduce the loss and pollution caused during transportation, but also improve the safety of food. This direct transaction helps to ensure the quality and freshness of food, so that city dwellers can eat healthier and more assured food.
From the point of view of social progress, vegetable patches around cities have a positive impact on the prosperity of the local agricultural economy. The growth of the agricultural economy will not only bring more employment opportunities to farmers and increase their income levels, but also increase the sense of control and participation of local residents in the source of food. This sense of engagement not only gives residents a greater understanding of where food comes from, but also gives them a greater sense of responsibility and belonging to the community's agricultural development. Therefore, vegetable plots on the edge of the city not only help farmers increase their incomes, but also promote community cohesion and improve the quality of life of residents.
From the perspective of urban planning, vegetable gardens located on the periphery of the city can be effectively incorporated into urban planning as green belts and scenic spots. These vegetable plots can not only add green elements to the city, but also give the city a unique humanistic atmosphere, so that urban residents can feel the tranquility of nature and the charm of local culture in their busy lives. With proper planning and utilization, these vegetable plots can become a beautiful landscape in the city.
On the edge of the city, the vegetable patch provides us with fresh ingredients, but we should also be mindful of the problems it faces. These vegetable plots are sometimes threatened by pesticides, fertilizers and soil contamination, which requires enhanced management and monitoring to ensure food safety. At the same time, we should also consider the development needs of the city from the perspective of overall urban planning. It is necessary to rationally use and plan the land resources on the edge of the city so that it can not only meet our food needs, but also coordinate with the overall development of the city.
Guys, would you like to know more about the vegetable plots around these two cities? Then click on the link below to watch the video, which will take you to the edge of the city in Huangpi, a suburb of Wuhan, where there are both high-rise buildings and vast vegetable fields.