Recently, the Lianhua residential compound, the largest relocation quarter in SIP’s Xietang Sub-district, was recognized as one of the municipal-level key urban renewal projects of Suzhou. This area’s transformation under a renewal initiative is setting a benchmark for improving the living environment in SIP, and also vividly represents Xietang Sub-district’s exploration of modernizing grassroots governance.

The transformation is jointly promoted by the Xietang Sub-district office and the Suzhou Innovation Research Institute of Jiangsu Provincial Planning and Design Group under an innovative model that integrates participatory planning, integrated planning, and guided planning.

Through big data analysis and PLPS surveys, the two parties accurately mapped out the demographic profile of the area, shifting the planning approach from “elite-led assessment” to “multi-stakeholder collaborative governance”. To date, a four-pronged action framework encompassing “livable environment, pleasant mobility, enjoyable amenities, and effective governance” has been established, and a two-dimensional guidance system consisting of “work lists and implementation guidelines” has been developed to ensure that the renewal outcomes are not only visually appealing but also functional and durable.

July 21, 2026