The Turia River and Valencia: A case of citizen-led urban regeneration

The present study aims to investigate how the recent transformation of the Turia river’s dynamics has influenced the Valencian local community by exploring both its positive and negative impacts in the urban context. Focusing on the subject “local community”, the Turia river’s impacts are analysed using the dichotomy opportunity-threat. In this way, the Turia river is looked at from the negative point of view of the environmental gentrification phenomenon, an increasingly relevant phenomenon to urban planning that can be softened by promoting inclusive policies and citizen engagement. Furthermore, the 2024-flood is considered, exposing the unpreparedness of the government in crisis response together with the socio-economic and political repercussions of the event. Looking at its positive side, the river is studied as an opportunity for the development of the city of Valencia. Jointly to a deductive analysis of previous research efforts on the case study, qualitative methods employing the use of a survey and semi-structured interviews, are made use of to evaluate people’s perceptions on the impact of the river’s transformation project on the city of Valencia. The findings of the present thesis are functional to understand the impacts of the Turia river in the Valencian urban dynamics and to critically reflect on how urban regeneration initiatives can balance ecological, economic and social priorities, for the benefit of the entire local community. The thesis concludes by reiterating the fundamental role of the local community in urban planning and by advocating for participatory planning approaches to foster equitable and resilient urban environments.