Shenzhen's Planners, Aviation Official in Dogfight over Building Heights

(Beijing) – An ambitious plan to turn part of Shenzhen's Qianhai special economic zone into the Pearl River Delta's version of skyscraper-packed Manhattan is being overshadowed by a battle between urban planners and aviation authorities over building heights.

A plan for the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone that was passed by Shenzhen's government in April 2012 says the area will be stuffed with skyscrapers up to 450 meters tall. In Guiwan, in the northern part of the zone, about half of the planned buildings will be 250 to 350 meters tall.