Land consumption and urbanization in rural areas. Understanding the dynamics of land take and demographic changes in rural municipalities in Catalonia, Spain

Several international organizations agree that land consumption is in a critical situation, yet demand for urbanized spaces persists, even in declining populations. This phenomenon has been primarily applied to large urban agglomerations, so the dynamics of land take in non-urban areas, particularly those situated far from large metropolises, should not be overlooked. The central question of this article is whether increased land consumption in rural areas corresponds to population dynamics. By examining different remote sensing datasets regarding small municipalities in Catalonia (Spain), together with the population census, it seeks to ascertain whether there is a correlation between soil imperviousness, as an indicator of urbanization processes, and demographic changes in rural context. The study provides a comprehensive examination of land consumption for 2009–2018, following the real estate crisis, in Catalonia’s rural municipalities, elucidating the complexities of achieving sustainable land use in the context of population decline. The results of the study indicate that even after the 2008 crisis, rural towns continued to grow in size, generating more land consumption, even without population growth. This stands in contrast to the post-crisis dynamics observed in Spain’s major cities. The findings underscore the importance of analyzing regional dynamics in functional areas rather than by individual municipalities, to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the process. These findings are vital for the development of future regional planning policies, ensuring the optimal allocation of resources and the provision of necessary support to municipalities for the sustainable management of their growth.