A mixed methods assessment of the impacts of the Sponge City Program on housing prices: a case of Ningbo, China

Abstract

China’s “Sponge City Program” (SCP), launched in 2012, represents a strategic response to urban environmental challenges through the implementation of integrated water management and ecological infrastructure. Despite its widespread adoption, in regions with concentrated sponge city projects, the extent to which publicly funded interventions are capitalised into housing prices or other economic outcomes has not yet been practically examined, particularly those incorporating both quantitative and perceptual dimensions. Focusing on Jiangbei District of Ningbo, one of China’s national SCP pilot cities, this study investigates how the implementation of the sponge city projects influences residential property values. This study adopts a mixed-methods approach: a hedonic price model is applied to second-hand housing transactions from 2019 to 2022, controlling for structural characteristics, locational attributes, and two SCP-related variables: proximity to sponge parks and whether the residential community underwent sponge city renovation, combining 20 semi-structured interviews conducted with residents of neighborhoods that have undergone sponge city renovation and those located near sponge parks. This methodological design, based on limited available data, investigates the impact of sponge city projects on real estate, as well as the underlying subjective reasons and perceptions. The results indicate that proximity to sponge parks has a significant positive effect on property values, reflecting their role as visible public goods that enhance environmental quality and recreational access. In contrast, intra-community sponge renovations exhibit weaker and more variable impacts, often attributed to insufficient communication, maintenance issues, and a lack of perceivable benefits. This study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of how urban green infrastructure influences housing market dynamics of SCP and provides a methodological reference.

Date of Award	15 Jan 2026
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Nottingham
Supervisor	Faith Chan (Supervisor) & Tengwen Long (Supervisor)