Urban Residential Development in Isolated Small Cities That Are Partially Integrated in Metropolitan Areas By High Speed Train

<jats:p> The proliferation of High Speed Trains (HSTs) in European countries has caused small, isolated cities within one hour's distance by HST to become partially integrated into metropolitan processes. These cities may be considered as a combination of small provincial centres and suburban metropolitan districts. Scientific literature suggests that subcentres in polycentric urban regions are becoming more numerous and diverse, that there are doubts whether HSTs are facilitating decentralization or concentration from/to metropolises, and that fewer HST effects are taking place in big cities than small ones, where HST contribution to accessibility amelioration is greater. The article discusses the types of urban residential processes according to temporal relations with HSTs (before and after HSTs) and spatial relations (HST station location). The conduct of household survey and review of building permits and mortgage valuations was done to analyse the urban process which these cities undergo with the development of HSTs. It was found that residence location with respect to the HST station varies with the type of inhabitant (local versus immigrant, tenant versus owner, etc.) and their relation to HSTs (commuter versus non commuter, etc.). It was also shown that the HST (alongside the presence of a university) helps isolated cities to acquire territorial roles of greater importance, by virtue of attracting intraprovincial immigration and familial investment, as well as immigrants and investments from other provinces. </jats:p>