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China officially approved the Shanghai Disneyland project earlier this week. The world's fifth Disneyland is set to bring huge profits to investors and local businesses. But before the project has even officially begun, some local farmers have begun building on the possible site.
These farmers may not have been to a Disneyland or met Mickey Mouse, but they know the future project on their land means large profits.
Shaxin township in suburban Shanghai is widely seen as a suitable site for the theme park, due to the convenient transport to downtown and the airport. The local government has started levying farmers' land although no official announcement has been made as to why.
But even before the exact location is finalized, farmers have begun their own buildings on the land, in order to get relocation compensation from the government. They have quickly built rows of greenhouses and garden-like landscapes across the area. This is because the compensation they may get from the project for a greenhouse is far more than for a muddy field.
The local authority has labelled these projects "illegal", ordering all building work to stop. It's also sent a team to carry out further investigations, and set up a city-wide satellite monitoring system of the land.
Officials say the planned area for Disneyland is estimated at seven square kilometers. Land prices around the possible site have seen a dramatic increase since the news of China's approval of the Disneyland project.