PULSE - Europe beyond the beat

Protests

Everyone wants the airport close to cities, but away from homes

This is the discussion that has been going on for some time between municipalities and airport companies. Professionals need to find common ground

by Davide Madeddu (Il Sole 24 Ore) and Ana Somavilla (El Confidencial, Spain)

26 June 2025

3' min read

The airport? Close to towns, but not to homes. Because, while on the one hand having the airport a few minutes from the town is an advantage and a positive element, on the other hand, the closeness of planes landing or taking off a short distance from homes is not always comfortable. It is no coincidence that the discussion on the presence of airports close to built-up areas has long been at the centre of a debate between citizens' organisations and institutions.

From noise to expansion

One of the elements at the centre of the debate concerns noise. For this reason, some airports have changed their arrivals and departures at night.

Then there is another element that concerns inhabitants, municipalities and airport management companies: the growth of cities and airports. This topic is also at the centre of discussion among professional organisations.

The Order of Architects

"The expansion of airports represents the need to strengthen and implement fast transport," says Alessandro Panci, president of the Order of Architects of Rome and Province. "This activity must then be contextualised and harmonised with the context in which it is inserted. According to the president of the order of architects, in order to avoid falling into the Nimby syndrome, it is necessary to set out on a path that includes four steps.

Four steps to follow

Observation, assessment, planning and compensation. "When an intervention of this type is made, it is necessary to start from the state of things, and then from observation an assessment must be made regarding all the aspects linked to the places,' Panci adds. 'Only with a complete picture is it good to continue with planning, taking into account all the needs. And once the interventions are underway, we can also move on to the compensation phase in a dialogue between the party that has to carry out the initiatives and those who are in the places affected by the interventions'.

Need to avoid contrasts

For the experts, therefore, precisely in order to avoid contrapositions that 'do not benefit the solution of problems' it is always necessary to start discussions and dialogues. "In the case of contrapositions and appeals," he concludes, "it then becomes very difficult to initiate a dialogue for compensation, which is why I believe it is always better to follow these four guidelines.

From Italy to Europe

There is no shortage of demonstrations against plans to expand airport facilities. This is the case of the municipality of Prato, which reiterates its rejection of the expansion of the Peretola airport. For the municipal administrators, one of the critical elements could be noise. It is no coincidence that the administration has also warned of a possible legal action.

Protests also took place in other Italian centres. And protests have also been registered in the past in several European countries. Like in Paris, or at Heathrow and Schiphol in the Netherlands.

The Spanish case

In Spain, the debate partly mirrors what is happening in Ciampino. Associations such as Ecologistas en Acción strongly oppose expansion projects on environmental and health grounds. 'Spain has committed to a 46% reduction in emissions from the transport sector by 2030,' they argue, 'but the increase in air traffic linked to airport expansion would lead to an exponential growth in emissions. For example, in the case of Madrid Airport, CO₂ emissions could increase by up to 35 per cent'.

According to environmental groups, air transport is responsible for the emission of ultrafine particulate matter, soot and noise, as well as having negative impacts on ecosystems and fauna.

An emblematic case is that of Josep Tarradellas airport in Barcelona-El Prat. In 2021, Aena proposed extending the runway closest to the sea by 500 metres - bringing it to 3,160 - to allow long-haul flights to take off, with an initial investment of €262 million. The plan, which is still defended by the airport operator, includes an increase in hourly operations from 80 to 90 and environmental compensation measures to restore the protected area of La Ricarda, which has been invaded by the infrastructure.

In June 2025, after four years and three Catalan regional governments, President Salvador Illa announced a new EUR 3.2 billion project to increase the airport's capacity. Although the agreement between the Catalan government and Aena includes acoustic solutions so as not to penalise the residents of Gavà and Castelldefels, the plan still envisages the expansion of the runways, with potentially significant environmental impacts on the territory and the coast.

The protests were not long in coming. Numerous associations, including Greenpeace, the Sindicat de Llogateres and SOS Baix Llobregat, united in the Zeroport platform, organised demonstrations in El Prat and Barcelona, denouncing that the project is detrimental to the environment and the liveability of the metropolitan area.

*This article is part of the European collaborative journalism project "Pulse".