The necessary urban development of our cities must be compatible with the conservation of the Cultural and Historical Patrimony. This is particularly true in the case of those cities, numerous in the Iberian Peninsula and Europe, that are the result of a long historical tradition; often uninterrupted during almost two thousand years. The preservation of the Archaeological Patrimony in these cities, however, comes up against conflicts difficult to resolve, with very differing and opposed positions: the demand and the price of the ground, the harmonious development of the city, the presence of infrastructures and services, the aspiration of the citizens to worthy housing, the business projects of the promoters or the working plans of the constructors. The common resource established to solve these conflicts is Urban Planning. Archaeology must take part actively in the elaboration of this planning, and use its abilities positively to prevent archaeological problems and look for an acceptable solution from the point of view of the protection of the Archaeological Patrimony with regard to urban development. Lamentably, archaeology frequently ignores the possibilities of this course of action and does not have the resources necessary to use the urban standard and the planning figures as other methodological instruments (alongside those traditionally used in Archaeology) to solve the archaeological impact of urban development. Given that the planning figures are the most efficient way of regulating the ground plan and classify and organize the territory, they are also a useful instrument for organizing an action of the urban Archaeological Patrimony, to prevent its destruction, and, even, to give a value to these types of resources. To achieve this it is necessary to characterize, define and outline the spaces with Archaeological Patrimony within the plan. This outlining must extend from the element under protection towards its surroundings, and must seek the conservation of that space, as well as guarantee the control of the agents or activities that may act negatively upon them. The adequate organization of these spaces needs not only to apply the existing ground legislation, but also develop in each particular case (whether a city or a superior organizing community) a defined regulation. This regulation, adapted to the specification of the elements and surroundings to be protected, provides an adequate organization of the spaces that, due to their own historical values and potential social function, thus require it. To achieve this it will be necessary to not only limit their use, but also to establish solutions for their management and, even, for their socio-cultural use. This study is illustrated with examples and experiences derived from Galician cities, each of which presents a particular problem; Santiago de Compostela (a mediaeval city, now Patrimony of Humanity), Lugo (built on the remains of the most important Roman city of Galicia), and Corufia and Vigo (cities with roman-mediaeval antecedents and recent development which today have a very strong urban dynamic). However, instead of carrying out a mere case study based on particular examples, an effort is made to evaluate the Spanish context to help to contribute to making a general diagnosis of the problem and to define the basic conditions that from the author's point of view should comply with the previously mentioned specific regulations.
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