Social Analysis of the Factors that Influence the Development and Planning of Rural Settlements: The Cases of the Municipalities of Cervantes and Guitiriz in Galiza

This article carries out a social analysis of the factors that influence development and planning in rural population clusters. In this vein, it seeks to determine such factors and to what extent those identified influence rural space. The aim of this article is to identify the social perception of rural space and the place of such rural clusters taking into consideration two social groups: the rural community itself and a group of planning technicians. In methodological terms, an on-site exploration was carried out in combination with fieldwork and interviews. In addition, technical workers were asked to respond a survey questionnaire. The article concludes that both explorations indicated similarity as to the characteristics of rural settlements and its problems, and that landscape must be considered a spatial asset in planning undertaken in these areas.

social perception; rural planning; rural settlements