Formulation and Implementation Approaches for Territorial Spatial Planning of Towns and Villages in Megacities: A Case Study of Chengdu

Territorial spatial planning for towns and villages is essential for promoting urban–rural integration and sustainable development, particularly in rapidly urbanizing megacities. This study reviews theories and practices of spatial and rural planning, focusing on policy frameworks for town and village planning in Chinese megacities. Using Chengdu as a case study, it analyses the evolution and current approaches to territorial spatial planning from spatial and institutional perspectives. Policy documents are systematically coded and analysed using MAXQDA, complemented by a micro-level examination and comparative analysis of representative village-level zones. The findings highlight three core aspects. First, planning formulation and implementation are shaped by higher-level guiding policies, spatial layouts, public services, infrastructure provision, and land-use optimisation. Second, Chengdu adopts a cross-jurisdictional planning framework that defines planning units according to natural geographical and economic linkages rather than administrative boundaries, combining regulatory controls with flexible policy measures. Third, village-level zones are categorised into integrated development, town-driven growth, and ecological conservation, supporting differentiated spatial strategies through comprehensive land consolidation. Overall, Chengdu’s approach reflects a Conservation–Remediation–Optimisation (CRO) framework that integrates ecological and agricultural protection, spatial remediation, and the coordinated optimisation of settlements, public services, and urban–rural linkages. Effective implementation further requires improved policy transmission, enhanced supervision, and technical empowerment across planning levels. Rather than presenting Chengdu as a universally replicable model, this study identifies planning principles and implementation conditions that may provide conditional references for other rapidly urbanising megacities.