The State Council has issued a circular approving the urban development plan for Huangshi city of Hubei province (2001-2020).

Huangshi city is a regional center of the city cluster along the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, and is one of China’s advanced manufacturing bases.

According to the circular, by 2020, downtown’s population will be limited into 950,000 and construction land will be contained in 94.7 square kilometers. Also, no new development zones or districts would be allowed beyond the approved areas for construction.

The circular stressed green development in construction of urban infrastructure and transport facilities composed of highway, waterway and railway. It also called for improvement of a public transportation-based traffic system, parking system, utility corridors and a comprehensive disaster prevention system.

It urged development that takes into consideration the city’s resources and environment, calling for efforts to promote sponge city construction, and protect famous sites, natural reserves, and special ecological areas such as wetlands and water sources.

The city should improve the layout of public services concerning education, medical care and municipal administration, according to the circular.

In addition, the city is asked to protect historical and cultural heritages, including the site of former Hanyeping Coal Iron Factory and the revolutionary site of the third army group of the Chinese Red Army, and to protect and reuse its industrial heritages.