On September 3rd, the Nanjing Municipal Bureau of Planning and Natural Resources initiated a public consultation period for the "Protection Plan for the Historic Main Runway of Nanjing Dajiaochang Airport." This specialized plan aims to strengthen the authenticity and integrity of the runway's physical structure, integrate it into urban functional spaces and residential communities, and achieve the goal of unifying the subway, surrounding plots, and public underground spaces.
The plan is formulated under the "Nanjing Historical and Cultural City Protection Regulations" to meet the needs of protecting and displaying the runway itself, as well as developing surrounding municipal infrastructure such as subways, underground spaces, roads, and utility tunnels. Once finalized, it will serve as the planning basis for the protection and management of the runway protection area and its surrounding regions.
Located in the Dajiaochang area of Qinhuai District, southeast of the outer Qinhuai River and south of the Seven-Bridge Pond outside Guanghua Gate, the main runway was originally built in 1947 according to International Civil Aviation Organization Class B standards. The initial runway measured 2,200 meters in length and 45 meters in width, with subsequent expansions in 1954, 1990, and 1999. Currently, the runway stretches 2,632 meters in length and ranges between 45.7 meters and 62 meters in width. In 2018, it was designated as one of Nanjing's second batch of historic buildings, serving as a vital physical remnant of China's airports and a historical testament to the aviation industry.
After decades of use, the runway surface remains largely intact, though several issues have emerged: the central takeoff and landing area shows cracks and settlement in places, the expanded edge areas on both sides have developed structural fragmentation, and most airport-specific markings have faded. The protection plan establishes four key principles: holistic protection, authentic preservation, reasonable utilization, and classified management. A protection zone of 15.87 hectares, fully coinciding with the runway itself, has been delineated.
The plan emphasizes preserving the reinforced concrete structure and original dimensions, while retaining precious historical imprints such as takeoff and landing marks and ground markings. Eleven municipal infrastructure projects will affect the runway, utilizing three construction and protection methods: surface layer replacement, translation protection, and cement concrete overlay. A comprehensive monitoring and maintenance system will be established to track pavement deterioration in real time and implement timely repairs, preserving the authentic texture of this historic structure.
In terms of spatial controls, permanent building foundations are prohibited within the protection zone, though prefabricated and movable lightweight installations are permitted. Temporary paving and painted decorations on the runway surface will have their scope and area restricted. New construction, renovation, and expansion projects on adjacent plots must maintain a clearance of no less than 5 meters from the protection boundary. Hard targets have been set for underground space development and pipeline burial depths to balance subway and underground space integration with cultural relic preservation. The plan also maintains the spatial relationship between the runway and the outer Qinhuai River, preserving sight corridors to the former terminal building and oil depot sites to retain the complete historic atmosphere of the area.