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Fuelled by rapid urbanization, urban spatial expansion is increasingly encroaching on the rural hinterland of large metropolises in developing countries. Peri-urban residential settlement development in Chinese cities has seen unprecedented rate in recent years, however, its current situation and implications for sustainability are little understood. The purpose of this paper is to understand through empirical findings the current situation of peri-urban residential settlement development in a Chinese city and examine their progress against the requirements of the sustainable development agenda. In this paper, three recent development cases located in the city periphery of Tianjin, China are studied and a theme-based evaluation framework is used to examine their outcomes. Their specific approaches to achieving sustainable development are discussed, and emerging problems and challenges are identified and analysed with suggestions for the complementary approaches and progression in the planning and management of peri-urban settlements.
China, peri-urban, settlement development, sustainability
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