Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone [Photo/official WeChat account of WHDZ]
The Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone (WHDZ) -- a commercial powerhouse located in Wuhan city in Central China’s Hubei province -- is to get a significant upgrade of its city functions, according to WHDZ officials.
They said the plans are contained in Wuhan’s new city layout which was released on June 28.
Under the plans, the city is to form a spatial pattern incorporating "two rivers and three towns, six axes and six wedges and north mountains and south lakes”.
The “six axes” part of the plan focuses on the differentiated development of each axis, officials said.
Officials said that it is proposed that the three new city groups on the development axes -- which are the Optics Valley, the WHDZ and Wuhan Airport Economic Development Zone – be upgraded to be Wuhan city sub-centers.
They said this will highlight the functions of national central cities such as technological innovation, advanced manufacturing and logistics hubs.
Meanwhile, the "two rivers and three towns" section of the plan refers to the main urban areas and the three towns of Hankou, Wuchang and Hanyang are to be deeply integrated and developed in a balanced manner.
The “six axes and six wedges" refers to the main urban areas as the core, the six major axes radiating out in a series to form six groups of new cities -- and the six green wedges, such as the East Lake ecological green wedge, will become an urban ecological barrier.
According to the layout, the “north mountains and south lakes” encompasses a larger area of the city. Relying on the distinctive characteristics of the northern mountainous areas and southern lakes in Wuhan, it will create a charming leisure area of mountain lakes and a large green environment.
