A Circular Land Use Model for Reconciling Industrial Expansion with Agricultural Heritage in Italian Industrial Parks

Carlotta D’Alessandro (), Antonio Licastro, Roberta Arbolino, Grazia Calabrò and Giuseppe Ioppolo
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Carlotta D’Alessandro: Department of Economics, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy
Antonio Licastro: Department of Human and Social Sciences (DiSUS), University of Naples “L’Orientale”, 80134 Naples, Italy
Roberta Arbolino: Department of Human and Social Sciences (DiSUS), University of Naples “L’Orientale”, 80134 Naples, Italy
Grazia Calabrò: Department of Economics, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy
Giuseppe Ioppolo: Department of Economics, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 19, 1-16

Abstract: Industrial park (IP) expansions in Mediterranean peri-urban areas can generate conflicts between economic development and agricultural heritage preservation. This paper develops a theoretically derived circular land use symbiosis model based on Hubs for Circularity (H4C) principles, using Fosso Imperatore IP in southern Italy as an illustrative case. This model proposes a transferable three-zone gradient design that enables the transformation of industrial–agricultural boundaries when combined with appropriate governance mechanisms and stakeholder engagement. Zone A concentrates vertical industrial development with rooftop agriculture; Zone B creates mixed agro-industrial interfaces; and Zone C enhances agricultural productivity through industrial resources. The model’s components (gradient zonation, temperature–cascade matching, and bidirectional resource flows) constitute generalizable design principles. When applied to Fosso Imperatore, where farmers oppose expansion that threatens culturally significant San Marzano tomato production, the model shows how 547 tons of organic waste could generate 87,520 m 3 of methane, while industrial waste heat cascades from 150–200 °C to 25–40 °C of greenhouse heating across distances of 3 km. Implementation constraints include regulatory gaps and limited empirical data. This study operationalizes H4C through spatial design, showing how benefit-sharing mechanisms can transform stakeholder conflicts into collaboration. The model provides a replicable framework for Mediterranean contexts where industrial expansion encounters agricultural heritage.

Keywords: circular economy; industrial park; industrial symbiosis; land use planning; agro-industrial integration; stakeholder conflict (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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