Shenzhen will develop underground spaces in 45 key areas to optimize urban spatial structure, preserve underground resources and improve the city’s operation capacity, according to a draft plan on underground space use (2020-2035) publicized by the municipal planning and natural resources bureau recently.

The city aims to be a model city in highly efficient, high-quality and sustainable use of underground resources by 2035, according to the draft plan.

The vertical depth in underground spaces can be divided into four levels such as shallow underground space (0-15 meters), medium underground space (15-40 meters), deep underground space (40-100 meters) and deeper underground space (below 100 meters).

In developing underground spaces, the draft plan adopts six strategies to develop in different regions to balance protection and utilization of space resources, integrate Metro construction and urban development, pre-plan underground passages for infrastructure, develop complementary above-ground and underground projects to ensure safety, and map out future development strategies.

The city will guide the development of underground parking lots, sports and community service centers, urban projects, and disaster alarm and prevention projects centered around the construction of transportation hubs and public service centers.

The key areas for underground development include the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Special Cooperation Zone, Shenzhen Bay Super Headquarters Base, Bao’an CBD, Shenzhen Airport Hub, Shenzhen North Station Transport Hub, Guangming Science City Transport Hub, Shenzhen East Station Transport Hub, Meilin Checkpoint Hub, Longgang Universiade Transport Hub, Longcheng Quare Hub and Pingshan Station Transport Hub.

The Airport East Transport Hub, part of the Shenzhen airport area, will be an underground city with more than 100 hectares of floor space and will also be a transport hub integrating air travel, high-speed and intercity railways, Metro, buses, cabs.