On the Optimal Allocation of Urban and Rural Land Resources in Rapidly Urbanizing Areas of the Yangtze River Delta, China: A Case Study of the Nanjing Jiangbei New Area

In the process of rapid urbanization, the coordination of the population–land relationship, the optimal allocation of land resources, and the improvement in land-use efficiency are the keys to ensuring the sustainable development of the region. This study takes the Nanjing Jiangbei New Area (NJNA), a national development zone in China, as a case study to construct an analytical framework for the regional population–land–industry (PLI) coupling coordination relationship. A spatial organization model of population–land (PL) flow is used to calculate the coupling coordination degree of PLI factors. The allocation of land resources is adjusted and optimized through the characteristics of the actual population served in the area to determine the new urban population that can be effectively accommodated by the new district. The comprehensive evaluation of the coordination degree of PLI coupling shows that the area connected with Jiangpu and Dacang Street has high development potential in terms of population concentration and construction land layout and can be used as a key area for future development. Based on the analysis of the spatial layout of the PL flow, further suggestions are made to optimize planning for the future population concentration area in NJNA. This study can also provide a reference for the optimal management of land resources in similar areas at home and abroad.