Toward a collaborative approach to urban conservation planning in China : an analysis with reference to Quanzhou, Fujian Province

Economic reforms towards a market economy have significantly accelerated urbanization and modernization in urban China. During the mid-1990s urban conservation became a significant issue and pressing concern in most Chinese inner cities. The local state has played a principal role in conservation practice under China's administrative and fiscal decentralization process and localization of urban planning encountering challenges of implementation. This study examines current historic district conservation practice in urban China, focusing on the roles of four interest groups—local government, the private sector, the general public and professionals. It concludes by proposing a collaborative approach to urban conservation among state and non-state actors, facilitated by changes to current legal, institutional and funding frameworks capable of meeting the challenge of balancing conflicts between the conservation and redevelopment agendas. The case of Quanzhou is examined in detail to show how the municipal government has conducted historic district conservation in the context of market economy conditions, and then to recommend policies that would support and forward collaborative historic district conservation.Applied Science, Faculty ofCommunity and Regional Planning (SCARP), School ofGraduat