The evaluation of urban renewal policies in Shenzhen, China (2009–2016): An analysis based on policy instruments

Urban renewal is a realistic approach in the development of urban areas and is essential for major Chinese cities. It is increasingly becoming a trending topic in the urban planning domain and many researchers are focusing on how to formulate scientific and practical urban renewal policies using different policy instruments. This paper aims to analyze the urban renewal policies of Shenzhen, which was the first city in China to promulgate urban renewal legislation. In doing so, an analytical framework is established by focusing on three main policy instruments and several sub instruments within them. Shenzhen’s four main urban renewal policies issued between 2009 and 2016 are analyzed through the framework. Quantitative content analysis was used in the review and analysis of the data. The results shows that Environmental-type policies are most widely applied by the government in Shenzhen, and “Regulation Control” and “Goal-planning” are the two policy instruments that are most frequently adopted. On the other hand, the application of Supply-type polices and Demand-type polices were found to be inadequate, with only a few effective instruments being adopted. These findings provide strong implications for the improvement and development of urban renewal policies in China through these key findings.