LAUSR

Under the background of green development, the spatial structure of urban agglomerations (UA) has an important impact on urban land use efficiency (ULUE), but few studies have explored the impact mechanism between the two. This research explores the impacts of polycentric development on ULUE of UA, using data for 140 cities in China’s top ten key UA covering the period from 2004–2019. The linkage between polycentric development and ULUE is explored by estimating models of determinants of ULUE. This research also examines the mechanism of the polycentric spatial structure of UA on ULUE by using a moderated mediation model. The main findings of the research can be concluded as below. The eastern UAs show a mostly polycentric spatial structure, whereas the central and western UAs show a weak polycentric spatial structure. The polycentric spatial structure of UA has a positive impact on ULUE. An inverted U-shape curve depicts the relationship between the polycentric spatial structure of UA and ULUE. However, the mediating variables, integration of industrial structure and factor mobility have a positive and partially mediating effect between the polycentric spatial structure of UA and ULUE. The infrastructure level has a positive U-shaped regulation effect, in which the impact coefficient of transport infrastructure is more significant. These findings provide empirical evidence for the coordinated development of China’s regional space planning and ULUE.