I've restarted some games on 80 planet maps cause of a similair thing, I'd even dare to say that on an 80 planet map it is more commen to not find any advanced R-stations of Factories in your area. I am however rather new to the game so dont know how it might have been in earlier builds.
I do actually like it, gives proper "early" scouting a good reason and makes it so you cant, by default, just take an area around you and at the same time increase every aspect of your position. Some things are more fun if it takes a longer road to get there
(My current campaign, X with 80 planets, has no bonus-stations in my corner of the X, meaning 20planets without any of them.)