Urban Development around Spanish High-Speed Rail Stations: Plans, Realized Development and Lessons

The article describes the evolution of urban development plans around stations in the Spanish High-Speed Rail network and addresses their eff ectiveness. The research analyses in detail six High-Speed Rail stations which have in common abundant land in their surroundings and some type of plan: two central stations, two city-edge stations and two cases located in peripheral areas. Comparing the implementation of developments planned around stations in these six cases, three potential developing factors have been analysed (structural, socio-economic conjuncture and local strategies) to find similarities and determinants. The article demonstrates that HighSpeed Rail is a good catalyser for urban development and restructuring, but that local conditions are crucial for harnessing its possibilities. High-Speed Rail can strengthen existing tendencies or potentials, while it is much weaker when launching new urban spatial processes.