Beijing’s urban planning authorities have announced a comprehensive revision of the “Beijing Residential Public Service Facilities Configuration Indicators” and its implementation guidelines, which will officially take effect on December 1st this year.
To ensure comprehensive public service facilities in new residential projects, Beijing has issued five versions of residential public service facility configuration standards since 1985. In response to current developments such as increased demand for cultural activities and physical fitness among residents, the urban planning authorities have conducted a thorough revision through mixed land use and spatial composite utilization, balancing various spatial requirements.
The revised standards incorporate national 5, 10, and 15-minute community living circle service requirements, organizing facilities into three levels: project, community, and street. The original 6 categories with 52 facilities have been expanded to 12 categories with 66 indicators, including comprehensive services, basic education, healthcare, social welfare, culture, sports, convenience commerce, postal logistics, transportation, municipal services, park green spaces, and public safety.
Key revisions include integrating cultural and sports activity facilities with community service facilities, adding comprehensive service facilities, and creating community activity centers through spatial composite utilization and time-sharing arrangements. Multi-purpose outdoor sports courts will be established near urban green spaces to form community outdoor cultural and sports activity centers.
Vehicle parking standards have been adjusted by region and residential type, while bicycle parking requirements have been reduced. Community entrance plazas have been added, with solutions proposed for shared bicycle and temporary vehicle parking at community entrances.
Parking standards for vehicles and electric bicycles have been clarified based on subway station service radii. Special sections define public service facility requirements for different types of affordable housing.
Community healthcare facility standards have been upgraded, with additional space for epidemic prevention and screening. Sunken rainwater collection systems integrated with water landscapes are encouraged to enhance flood prevention capabilities. Public service facilities, green spaces, and outdoor areas are designated for dual-use during normal and emergency situations, reserving space for natural disaster response.
Last-mile logistics facilities and waste sorting collection points have been added, with enclosed waste stations preferably located outside residential areas combined with public green spaces. Community-level commercial facilities have been expanded, moving daily necessities from street-level to community-level accessibility.
The standards will be revised every five years with annual dynamic assessments. Projects already holding construction permits will follow previous standards, while those without permits may choose between old or new standards. Existing residential projects requiring facility adjustments will be handled case-by-case based on local conditions and resident needs, referencing the revised standards.
The implementation guidelines clarify requirements throughout the entire process of planning, construction, inspection, handover, acceptance, and registration of residential public service facilities. They emphasize coordinated planning, spatial composite utilization, flexible control, and dynamic adjustment principles, along with government organization, enterprise implementation, and social supervision mechanisms.
Street-level and community-level facilities outside residential project areas will generally be government-funded, while project-level facilities within residential areas will be developer-funded and transferred to government entities upon completion. Residential developments reaching certain population thresholds must provide corresponding higher-level facilities.
District governments will determine facility management entities based on local conditions, encouraging market participation while strengthening supervision. Comprehensive service facilities will be uniformly managed by street communities, integrating community services with grassroots governance.
Public service facility requirements must be disclosed before land transfer for residential projects, providing developers with transparent cost expectations. Facilities must meet basic usage requirements upon completion and be ready for handover. Government-received facilities can directly apply for property registration.
For safety, electric bicycles should generally be parked above ground. To address land constraints and floor area ratio concerns, bicycle and electric bicycle shelters under large tree canopies won’t count toward floor area ratios, and related land use up to 30% of green space can be included in green space calculations.