While many residential buildings have been built, they are lacking residents (Image: Getty)
This megacity costs billions of pounds to build but eight years after, the streets of the city still appear empty.
While villages were demolished to make way for the ambitious megacity, the sprawling development remains largely empty, despite costing billions of pounds to build.
The city was built about 60 miles from Beijing with the goal of alleviating the overcrowding and congestion issues that have plagued the capital.
However, nearly eight years after the project began, there appears to be a sense of unease and emptiness hanging over the area.
A business owner, Zhang Cheng, told “Many of them (his employees) enjoy social activities — dating, eating out and so on. Investors and partners also expect to meet over dinner, drinks or karaoke.
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The huge railway station was completed in 2020 (Image: Getty)
“Xiong’an doesn’t offer any of that at the moment. Even with the hiring subsidies, if I asked my staff to relocate here, even at their current salaries, many probably wouldn’t agree.”
The city is thought to be unappealing to young professionals due to its lack of vibrant social life, and many businesses have reportedly been reluctant to relocate their employees there.
One of the most striking features of Xiong’an is its massive train station completed in 2020, which boasts 13 platforms and 23 tracks, covering an impressive 475,200 square meters.
Despite its monumental size, the station feels eerily silent, as the anticipated flow of people and commuters has yet to materialise.
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Roads are completely empty (Image: Getty)
The city’s infrastructure is undeniably futuristic, with massive skyscrapers and residential buildings already in place but much of the streets remain deserted, and sections are still under construction.
The ambitious project is set to be fully completed by 2035, though some wonder if it will ever reach its envisioned potential.
Launched in 2017 as a legacy project by President , Xiong’an is designed to accommodate up to five million people and become a big hub for high-tech industries and government offices.
According to the 2020 census, Xiong’an has a population of 1.2 million, although this figure likely includes residents from the broader Xiong’an New Area.