Land redevelopment and migrant inflows in Chinese cities

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper investigates how land redevelopment is associated with a city’s potential to attract migrants. Based on empirical analysis conducted by using over one million records of land transaction data between 2008 and 2018 in Chinese cities, we observe that cities with a larger ratio of redevelopment land in the total area of land supply on average have attracted more of the migrant population. Moreover, a high proportion of redevelopment area for public services and infrastructure in the total land redevelopment area can further attract migrants. We also find a larger effect of land redevelopment in attracting migrant inflows in less developed regions than developed regions. These findings suggest the advantages of intensive urban strategy (‘compact urban’) compared with extensive urban strategy (‘urban sprawl’) in attracting migrant population. Implications of these findings for urban governancear are discussed.