BARCELONA - AMB METROAIPORTS PROJECT - 2 nd WORKSHOP, ATLANTA
1. Airport City and Governance
What is an Airport City? No unquestionable definition of airport city exists. ( ), the Airport City is the more or less dense cluster of operational, airport-related as well as other commercial and business activities on and around the airport platform. However this cluster is called an Airport City only if it shows the qualitative features of a city (density, access quality and environment services). An Airport City does not stand aloof. It is not detached from the airport s surroundings, but is part of a broader regional strategy to take advantage of the spin-off of the airport, combining transport and land-use planning. Source: Güller & Güller Architecture Urbanism: From Airport to Airport City. ARC 2001. Underline is ours.
Elements in an Airport city The airport city is a dense cluster (i.e. a critical mass well beyond a few hangars and airport offices that are typically found in most airports. Commercial and business activities are dominant (i.e. housing and other non-commercial land uses are not typically within airport cities). They can be operational, airport-related but also other (i.e. also including non-airport related activities). They are located on and around the airport platform (i.e. a notion of close proximity is implicit). Access quality (airport cities need the multimodal access nodes typically found at major airports). Airport cities are normally developed on airport owned/controlled land and/or developed by an undertaking in which the airport has high stakes.
Benchmark of Airport Cities across Europe MAN HEL BCN BRU FRA AMS
Dimension of Airport cities / Airport areas Economic activity areas controlled by the airport (ha) MAN HEL BRU FRA AMS BCN Current surface 33,0 103 169 204 (3) 520 237 Extensions projected 71,5 Nd 0 79 123 59 Actial + projected 104,5 103 169 388 643 296 Economic activity areas in second ring not controlled by the airport (ha) MAN HEL BRU FRA AMS BCN Surface (ha) 145 880 430 260 507 525
Office space at walking distance from terminals Actual MAN HEL BRU FRA AMS BCN Office space (sqm) 27.780 41.600 28.000 (2) 476.000 217.500 2.600 Sqm/million pax (2016) 1.111 2.447 1.120 7.933 3.346 59 Projected MAN HEL BRU FRA AMS BCN Office (sqm) 200.000 nd 500.000 nd 219.000-242.000 225.000 Hotels (sqm) 100.000 nd 100.000 nd 33.000-56.000 Retail (sqm) nd 4.000 35.000 10.000 nd 52.000 Conventions (sqm) 11.000 Total 300.000 nd 265.000 600.000 nd 338.000
Office space. Qualitative features of in new developments Offices clustered around multimodal transportation station. Business park concept with strong marketing brand, high standards (architecture, environment, services) and walkable. Companies need not to have strong links to aviation sector not required, usually international oriented companies. Rents and demand is high at major hubs, but proactive marketing and lower rents typical in secondary hubs. Services to airport workers/users are required, but not aimed to attract other demand (e.g. shopping malls).
Hotels At alkable distance from terminals Need car to reach main terminals Hotels Rooms Pax/room Hotels MAN 4 1.815 14.000 6 HEL 3 400 42.500 7 BRU 1 294 85.000 12 FRA 3 1.591 38.000 14 AMS 3 1.195 54.400 16 BCN 0 0-7 Hotels at walking distance from terminals usually premium brands Second ring hotels provide a variety of standards Demand for new hotels remains strong
Airfreight and logistics (ha) MAN HEL BRU FRA AMS BCN Actual airfreight area 23 40 90 149 145 (3) 50,5 (1) Tons airfreight /ha 4.350 4.500 5.500 14.100 11.700 2.500 Projectes ampliació en curs directament associats amb la càrrega aèria 0 nd 0 27 118 (4) 0 Projected airfreight area 23,0 40 90 176 261 50,5 Logistics areas (non-airfreight) 36,5 0 0 100 nd 10,5 (2) Total logistics + airfreight areas within airport land 59,5 40 90 276 278 61 Airports are devoting substantial areas to logistics not directly related to airfreight
Public transport access MAN HEL BRU FRA AMS BCN (T1) BCN (T2) HSR Projected NO YES YES YES NO NO Long distance rail YES NO YES YES YES NO NO Suburban rail YES YES YES YES YES Previst YES Metro NO NO NO NO Projected YES YES Tramway YES NO Projected NO NO NO NO Bus urban/suburban 9 2 28 16 24 5 5
Car parks MAN HEL BRU FRA AMS BCN Parking spaces 39.741 12.000 13.000 17.500 (1) nd 31.471 Pax total 25.627.368 17.184.681 21.818.418 60.786.937 63.625.664 44.154.693 Pax O&D 24.986.684 11.874.615 16.843.819 26.442.318 37.348.265 42.167.732 Pax total / parking space 645 1.432 1.678 3.474 nd 1.403 Pax O&D / parking space 629 990 1.296 1.511 nd 1.340 Car parks are very profitable for airports and favor expand car park supply. However planning authorities are reluctant to this trend and are constraining airport operators to limit supply at walkable distance to the terminals to premium (i.e. expensive) car park services. Other car parks to be located further away. The rationale for such policies seem to be: (i) encourage the use of public transportation and (ii) the spaces close to the terminals should be used to activities that provide higher added value (and jobs).
Findings about governance The most developed/sophisticated Airport City projects (FRA, AMS, MAN) are where local authorities have substantial stake sin the airport shareholding. However not always are airport and local interests well aligned. As infrastructure funds become stronger in airport shareholding, the classical approach to the airport cities may be challenged. Most airports have developed strong and sophisticated real-estate arms to develop airport city concepts. Usually airports remain land owners of their airport cities. However this approach may be challenged. Conclusion Even when some governance structures exist, conflicts of visions are common. This may be aggravated as airport ownership becomes more private and shareholders do not have a long-tern vision of the territory.
Airport City and Airport Area Amsterdam Airport Area Airport Area ió pròpia Source: https://www.sadc.nl/en/about-sadc/partnerprojects/amsterdam-airport-area-aaa/
Barcelona case: airport area The airport propriety sits mostly within El Prat Municipality and to a lesser extent within Sant Boi, Viladecans and Gava (Air Control Centre) municipalities with a total population of 255,882 inh. Also parts of Barcelona (mostly industrial areas), l Hospitalet and Castelldefels municipalities could be considered as areas under direct influence of the airport. The area under control of the airport operator covers 15.33 sq Km, that is 13.3% of the airport area. There is no formally defined perimeter of what should be considered the area of influence of the airport. There is no proper planning of the airport area either nor any governance structures. Current land planning (PDU) plans to address to a certain level this situation
Barcelona case: Airport City 1999 masterplan Reserve area west Reserve area East Aviation industrial park Airfreight and logistics Central area Located 100% within airport owned land in front of T2 (not main terminal). Urban planning procedures apply only in part. Airport sector procedures apply (Ministry of Transport) The airport has wide room for maneuvering. Development has been very limited so far.
Barcelona case: Airport City 2018 Masterplan
Barcelona case: Challenges Blueprint for new masterplan presented by Ministry of Transport. Government owns 51% stake in the Airport. Not major concerns about the overall concept, but phases and implementation process unknown. Concerns about the airport leasing major parts of the airport city to private developers that could eventually build under limited control from local planning authorities. The airport director has limited capacity of interlocution vis-à-vis planning authorities. Real estate decisions taken from Aena HQ in Madrid.
2. LAND PLANNING AND GREEN AREAS
Transport flows and land uses (according to PGM 1976)
3. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND EMPLOYMENT POLICIES
Figures 2015 39,7 passengers, 5,6 intercontinental and of them 2 direct flights Vueling 40% of flights, Ryanair and Easyjet Cargo 117 thousands tons, 55% intercontinental No airport city in any sense 12.000 workers. No 1000 JOBS PER 1M pax No relation with local and regionals administrations of the territory near by, just the committe of new routes
Different situations No noise and no jobs No noise and jobs Noise and jobs Noise and no jobs
Training Centers IES Illa de Banyols (first public center related to airport activities). Degree of Electronic maintenance of airplanes. Degree of Mechanic maintenance of airplanes IES Salines. Degree of logistics. Degree of international commerce SENASA (Spanish public institution for safety and formation of airports needs). Courses. Exams People employed at platform and updating CAE Simulators
Training Centers EUROPEAN PROJECTS. E-learning academy for airport related jobs (Erasmus project). Failed.. Development of Regional Employment and Airport Areas Manpower (Erasmus+ project). How govern airport training and airport jobs. Waiting for outcome. STUDIES Professional profiles at the airport platform (Strair project, InterregIIIC) COOPERATION INICIATIVES Opening of the Terminal 1, coordination of 15 courses for the new jobs. Regional government. VISION OF THE FUTURE. Brussels House model: a public/private institution collecting all offers, collecting all demands, observatory of trends and needs, offering own courses or proposing new courses