Strategic Land Assessment, Land Suitability, and Territorial Intelligence for Metropolitan Infrastructure: Rethinking Airport Location in the Madrid Region

Álvaro Luengo Cartagena and Roberto Díez-Pisonero ()
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Álvaro Luengo Cartagena: Department of Geography, Faculty of Geography and History, C/Profesor Aranguren, s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Roberto Díez-Pisonero: Department of Geography, Faculty of Geography and History, C/Profesor Aranguren, s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, 28040 Madrid, Spain

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 10, 1-22

Abstract: In a context of growing saturation at Madrid–Barajas Airport and renewed debate on a second airport for the metropolitan region, this study proposes a GIS-based multicriteria evaluation (MCE) model to identify alternative locations from a territorial perspective. The model integrates environmental constraints, accessibility, spatial logic, and infrastructural compatibility to determine land suitability for large-scale airport development. Grounded in territorial intelligence and sustainable land management, the approach combines quantitative GIS analysis with normative planning criteria, offering a replicable and transparent tool for evidence-based decision-making. Results highlight four high-potential areas, La Sagra, Talavera de la Reina, Valdeluz, and Arganda, contrasted with institutional preferences such as the expansion of Barajas or the Casarrubios del Monte proposal. These findings show that alternative sites offer stronger scalability, reduced environmental impacts, and improved intermodal integration. Beyond technical evaluation, the study contributes to debates on metropolitan governance and spatial justice, underscoring the need to rethink airport location as a strategic instrument for land-use planning, regional cohesion, and sustainable development.

Keywords: land suitability analysis; territorial intelligence; metropolitan infrastructure planning; airport location planning; spatial governance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jlands:v:14:y:2025:i:10:p:2018-:d:1767176

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