Multi level structures and housing accommodation standards for cities in China

As urbanisation has advanced, especially the expansion of major metropolitan areas, housing scarcity has become a major social and economic problem world-wide. Although housing provision in cities in China has improved noticeably over recent years, provision remains far below that in most advanced countries. Judged against the standards of provision in comparable countries, housing in China is inadequate. It is no solution for China to seek to expand provision of enlarged housing units piecemeal,- a strategy for provisions which can be accommodated readily within the capacity and structure of the Chinese economy is vital for sustainability. This paper postulates that the solution lies in determining moderate standards of housing provision which are appropriate to the needs of the people, distributed equitably and, hence, sustainable given the technical, social economic and political considerations. In view of the recent strategies adopted for advancing economic development in China, potential for fostering multi-level standards of housing provision is examined. Such a possibility must be examined in the context of the Chinese socio-political environment as differential standards of provision may prompt unrest between the 'advantaged' and 'disadvantage' groups of occupants created (e.g. as observed in the former USSR). Great skill and care is required to introduce such provisions to secure stable developments which are appropriate to China and, hence, are sustainable.