The construction plan for the new county seat of Beichuan, a worst-hit area in China's May 12 massive quake last year, unveiled on Monday for public feedback.

The new county seat is two km east of Anchang Town in Anxian County and 23 km from the former one. It covers an area of eight square kilometers. Anchang Town also becomes part of Beichuan seat.

The new county will have a park in memory of quake relief work and several other scenic parks, according to the plan revealed to the public Monday by the Beichuan county government.

Zhu Ziyu, a chief designer with the China Academy of Urban Planning & Design, the plan's author, said the new county seat would serve as a center of government bodies, culture, industry, tourism and other public services.

Anchang Town will mainly be used for housing and commerce.

To collect public opinions will make the plan more scientific and feasible, according to Zhu. The opinion collection will end on February 28.

The former seat of Beichuan, on the juncture of two fault lines, was leveled in the devastating quake, which left more than 69,000 people dead and 374,000 injured. Another 18,000 are missing and millions were left homeless.

The construction of the new county seat has been planned to begin at the end of this month.

The new town is expected to have 58,000 residents in 2010 and 110,000 in 2020.

(Xinhua News Agency February 11, 2009)