Associations propose moving Luís de Camões Airport runways 5 km west

Proposal to move the runways

An open letter sent to ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal and the Government, seen by Lusa, calls for the runways to be relocated roughly five kilometres westwards, aligning them with the existing military runway at the Alcochete Shooting Range.

Local associations and authorities say the proposed adjustment is supported by technical research undertaken by public bodies, including the National Civil Engineering Laboratory (LNEC), alongside specialist teams connected to local associations. They contend that the findings show substantial environmental, social and economic advantages.

A separate assessment was commissioned from the Spanish consultancy Abaleo S.L., which reached similar conclusions.

“It is not a question of the airport’s strategic location, but rather the opportunity to fine-tune its implementation while the project is still at a stage where technical decisions can and should be considered,” say the signatories.

As ANA prepares environmental and technical studies for Luís de Camões Airport, the residents’ associations and parish councils behind the letter say they wish to “contribute to the ongoing debate on the location” of the infrastructure.

Luís de Camões Airport noise and health effects

The studies referenced by the organisations indicate that this alternative micro-location could cut by about 70% the number of people exposed to aircraft noise during the project’s initial stages. This would affect more than 4,000 fewer residents, with the figure potentially around three times greater in the future, moving them away from exposure levels regarded as critical.

The proposal also highlights direct benefits for public health and quality of life, particularly for more vulnerable groups including children and older people. It further cites better carbon efficiency because the average distance between the airport and Lisbon would be shorter.

Another point raised is that the infrastructure could be concentrated on public land already designated for aviation and military purposes. This could reduce or remove the need for further compulsory purchases, along with the financial, social and administrative burdens associated with lengthy expropriation procedures.

Environmental impact and cork oak forest

While the associations and parish councils accept that every airport location option would have considerable environmental consequences, they maintain that the ultimate decision must be transparent, verifiable and backed by technical evidence.

On the cork oak forest, they state that “if an airport city is developed to the east and west of the airport, the difference in impact on the forest will be marginal, since most of the cork oaks would end up being felled in any scenario”.

They also note that "the location 5 km to the west allows for the replacement and regeneration of the forest to the east with more resistant species, contributing significantly to the 'carbon bubble' and the ecological resilience of the region.

The signatories say they are fully available to work with ANA, the Government and the relevant authorities, serving as institutional representatives throughout the process. They stress that their proposal is intended to support a “more balanced and socially sustainable” solution for the new airport.

They insist the initiative does not seek to “delay the project or politicise it, but rather to make it more robust, more balanced and socially more sustainable, while it is still possible to fine-tune decisions with consequences for several decades”.

The letter was submitted to the Ministries of Infrastructure and Housing; Environment and Energy; Economy and Territorial Cohesion; and State and Finance.

Its signatories include the Union of Parishes of Pegões, the Union of Parishes of Poceirão and Marateca, Mata do Duque II Residents' Association, the Association of Owners and Residents of Herdade do Zambujeiro, and the Association of Owners of Mata do Duque I.