The State Council approved the overall urban planning (2011-20) for Yichun city in Northeast China’s Heilongjiang province.

Yichun is one of northern China’s important ecological tourist city, and a major city in Heilongjiang’s northeast regions.

An area of 5,239 square kilometers was designated for Yichun’s unified rural and urban development, the circular stated.

The circular urged efforts to improve management in forest zones and city fringes, promote urban-rural basic infrastructure sharing, develop key villages and forestry centers with potential, and exert its functions as a port city.

The circular stated that by 2020, the downtown population should be contained within 500,000, and urban construction land should be limited to 64.2 square kilometers.

No new development zone or city district should be set up beyond the approved area. Increases in construction land will be controlled, and protection of forest land and arable land will be strengthened.

Urban infrastructure facilities, including transportation systems, parking lots, underground tunnels and disaster prevention systems, will be improved in a greener way, the circular said.

The circular urged efforts to weed out outdated capacity, control pollutant emissions, develop green buildings, and protect water resources and other natural reserves.

The circular also stressed enhancing public service facilities involving education, healthcare, and municipal administration.

In addition, subsidized apartments should be included in construction plans. Shantytowns, villages within the city and dilapidated houses should be renovated and equipped with improved facilities.

The circular also urged efforts to protect the traditional city landscape, as well as historical and cultural heritage sites.