Measuring residents' perceptions of multifunctional land use in peri-urban areas of three Chinese megacities: Suggestions for governance from a demand perspective

Multifunctional land use (MLU) has been treated by many countries and regions as an effective path for balancing conflicts between limited land resources and the social, economic, and ecological sustainable development demands resulting from urbanization. Peri-urban areas are significantly influenced by urban and rural development. Urban residents' perceptions to peri-urban areas are critical for influencers of relative policies. This study aims to account for urban residents' perceptions of MLU in peri-urban areas to bring attention to land-use issues from a demand perspective. We developed a conceptual framework based on Maslow's hierarchy of needs to illustrate the relationship between urban residents' needs and MLU in peri-urban areas. We selected Shanghai, Wuhan, and Chengdu as representative metropolises in East, Central, and West China, respectively, and surveyed urban residents in these three metropolises to understand their needs and views with regard to multifunctional peri-urban land use. The results show that urban residents perceived 14 land-use functions of peri-urban areas as significant and recognized esteem needs and self-fulfillment as most important, followed by safety needs, physiological needs, and social needs. The most significant needs of China's urban residents with regards to MLU in peri-urban areas, residence and retirement, should be addressed in policymaking and planning. In addition, media and communication also play important roles in terms of mediating and establishing communication between residents, farmers, and policymakers. •A conceptual framework based on four types of urban resident demands was developed within the context of sustainable development.•A survey of Chinese urban residentswas conducted to understand the perceptions of multifunctional peri-urban land use.•They perceive esteem and self-fulfillment needs as most critical, followed by safety, physiological, and social needs.•Previous experiences, media and interpersonal communication, and education were significant influencing factors.•Policies should support the resolution of conflicts between residents’ needs and current planning and policies.