 | National Urban Policy of Spain Introduction
With the approval of its new Constitution in 1978, Spain was transformed from a centralised administration into 17 autonomous communities, each with full powers on a wide range of issues including designing urban policies together with local councils, which have a high degree of autonomy, besides 2 autonomous cities, Ceuta and Melilla. But through the appropriate ministerial departments central government mainly develops urban policies for housing and land, transport and communications or the urban environment. This structure lays down three levels of government involved in the design of
urban policies: National, Autonomous (Regional), and Local (Municipalities).
Historical Background
Spain has seen rapid population growth, especially from 1960-1970 and 1970-1980, encouraged by the increase in industrialisation of the metropolitan areas of large cities such as Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Bilbao and Saragossa. From 1960-1970 all of these urban areas had annual population growth rates of more than 3%, and in Madrid’s case over 4%. 1970-1980 also saw rapid population growth but at a reduced rate, 2% (Madrid) or less. Population growth declined considerably in the decades which followed, bottoming out towards the end of 1990-2000. Since 2000 in particular continued migration has contributed to a steady increase in the natural rate of growth. Spain has a population of 43,197,684 (2004) with a density of 85
inhabitants/km2, placing it halfway in the European ranking between the more
densely populated central European countries and the less populated nations to
the north.
Rapid population growth from 1960 to 1980, concentrated in the metropolitan
areas of large cities, produced a serious shortfall in infrastructure, housing
and facilities, and a consequent deterioration in urban life quality. From the
mid-1970s this combined with industrial decline in places such as Bilbao and the
central area of Asturias, home to the iron and steel and shipping industry which
went into crisis throughout Western Europe.
Since the new Constitution came into force, the decentralisation of
government has helped to improve the quality of urban life throughout the whole
of Spain, with the allocation of more resources for cities and autonomous
regions, economic improvement and the nation’s commitment to providing
infrastructures, communications, facilities and housing.
The housing development growth rate in recent years has been spectacular and
remains buoyant. But it has been coupled with sharp housing price increases
making it very difficult for a large percentage of the population to buy a home.
The reduction in the house sizes and the constant increase in migration
generates new housing demand.
Organisation
Spain’s urban population is concentrated in four major urban areas each with more than 1,000,000 inhabitants (Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Seville) and located, with the exception of Madrid, on the peninsula’s periphery; 9 urban areas of between 500,000 and 1,000,000 inhabitants (Bilbao, Malaga, the central area of Asturias, Saragossa, Alicante/Elche, the Bay of Cadiz, Vigo/Pontevedra, Murcia and Las Palmas in Grand Canary); 35 urban areas of between 100,000 and 500,000 people; and 30 urban areas of between 50,000 and 100,000 inhabitants. There are thus 78 urban areas throughout Spain with more than 50,000 inhabitants. Physical characteristics, communications, the location of industrial enclaves
and coastal tourist settlements all mean that the population is unevenly
distributed and concentrated particularly in the peninsula’s periphery and the
Madrid metropolitan area, which is situated in the sparsely populated centre of
the country.
Apart from the Madrid metropolitan area which is witnessing high growth
rates, the populations of smaller urban areas such as Malaga, Alicante/Elche and
in particular Murcia and Vigo/Pontevedra are also expanding rapidly. The growth
trend in the outlying regions of the peninsula (in the tourist areas along the
Mediterranean coast) and the central area around Madrid thus remains constant.
The Autonomous Communities have wide power to design urban policies, with the
legislative capacity to approve their own urban laws. Town councils at a local
level also participate in the design and implementation of urban policies.
Central government also develops its own urban policies in accordance with
its powers in areas such as housing, land, communications and transport.
Current Issues
Spain experienced a very slow natural growth rate from 1990 to 2000 as well as one of the world’s lowest fertility rates, well below the European Union average. In 1996 Spain’s average number of children per woman was 1.16 against 1.44 in the rest of the EU. The continued increase in emigration since 2000 has caused this indicator to climb, but it still remains below the European average. Population ageing raises many problems such as the provision of retirement pensions, health care and a greater demand in facilities for the retired population. An increase in migration produces diverse effects: on the one hand a
rejuvenation of the population, more young workers in the job market and
consequently more contributions to the social security system, while on the
other hand it increases demand for facilities and housing and raises social
integration issues.
Housing is one of the biggest problems for citizens, since some sectors of
the population do not have enough income to buy a home in the market, even
though there is currently enough housing to meet the demands of the entire
population. One of the housing occupancy characteristics in Spain is the low
percentage of rental properties (11% according to the 2001 census), well below
the European average. Apart from home ownership assistance, the new National
Housing Plan 2005-2008 encourages occupancy of rental properties, favouring
groups with low incomes and special needs, with a particular focus on the young.
Of particular importance is the issue of second homes, strongly connected to
tourism, which is mainly concentrated on the Spanish peninsula coast, especially
along the Mediterranean. The construction boom evident for some time now has
accelerated in recent years, and is exerting huge pressure on the environment
and using up extensive land areas. It is therefore vital to promote active
policies, based on urban planning instruments and observance of the law, to
assure sustainable long-term urban development; more importance should thus be
placed on the restoration and revitalisation of the present urban structure.
Significant effort has been made in recent years with the building of major
transport infrastructures, the creation of new facilities and the regeneration
of city centres, all of which have markedly improved the urban environment.
Central, regional and local government have all played a part in carrying out
these large-scale operations.
Key Programmes
Like other departments in Spain’s central government, the Ministry of Housing has urban policy-making powers. These policies are mainly developed through the following instruments:
|
| ||
| | |
