Real estate investment from northern mining in the Gran Concepción and effects on urban growth

Abstract

Although the effects of mining activity on the real estate sector in cities that depend on mining is already an issue analyzed, the progressive development of a long distance commuting in Chile supposes a different panorama, by enabling the expansion through the territory of investment in real estate. In this sense, this work analyzes and interprets this phenomenon in the metropolitan area of Concepción through the combination of sur- veys to workers who regularly travel to northern Chile from Concepción with in-depth interviews with local experts. The results show a reality that, although it is highly unknown to many, contributes to reinforce the horizontal growth of the Concepción metropolitan area and generates some contrasted developments, between an investment in first housing and that combines savings from mining with public aids, and other investment “of luxury”, but minority in the most exclusive areas.