The company delivering Poland’s national transport overhaul – a megaproject dubbed “Port Polska” – is celebrating a higher-than-expected participation in a voluntary land acquisition programme to make room for the country’s new international airport west of Warsaw.
The company, Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK), says it has now has nearly 65% of the land and 235 of 310 residential buildings (76%) required for the combined airport and high-speed rail hub, set to cover 2,585 hectares in the largely rural municipalities of Baranów, Teresin, and Wiskitki. The site boundaries were announced in January last year.
Owners of plots representing around 89% of the area designated for the initial stage of construction applied to join the programme, CPK said, adding: “Ultimately, owners of only 35% of the total area decided not to participate.”
Those properties will now be subject to the legal expropriation process.
CPK said said the voluntary programme is new for Poland – which didn’t have an organised alternative to expropriation before – and provides a model for future infrastructure projects.
“The results achieved have exceeded our expectations,” said Dr Filip Czernicki, CPK’s chief executive. “The decision to resume the programme in July 2024 gave owners the opportunity to sell their properties on attractive terms. Thanks to this, it will be easier for them to start a new life elsewhere, and it will allow us to break ground and begin the construction phase of the new transport hub in Poland.”
The offer
CPK said its offer typically includes bonuses of 20% of the land value and 40% of the value of buildings and other structures, or a price equal to the replacement value without accounting for depreciation. The option more favourable to the owner is always selected.
A property’s base value is determined by independent, certified property valuers.
Other incentives include help with relocation, professional development courses, compensation for loss of creditworthiness or a civil annuity resulting from the loss of farm income.
The process was handled by a team of professionals responsible for discussions and negotiations. CPK has had a team of local coordinators in the area since it was earmarked in 2021.
“Building awareness and a sense of the inevitability of the investment required time,” said Rafał Garpiel, in charge of property and community relations at CPK.
“Land acquisition is a very complex process – particularly in an area characterised by significant fragmentation of land ownership. Plots are mostly small and sometimes have unresolved ownership status. We approach this process with sensitivity and understanding of the needs of property owners.
“It is also worth emphasising that the Voluntary Acquisition Programme has been positively assessed by the Supreme Audit Office, which has given us the green light to develop and apply it in subsequent investments.”
For those who declined
Property owners who didn’t participate in the voluntary scheme can apply for advance payment towards compensation. If they don’t agree with the proposed valuation they can receive 85% of the value determined by government without losing the right to appeal against the decision determining the amount of compensation.
The advance payment will be made no later than 30 days from the submission of the application. At the same time, owners will still be able to use their properties for at least 120 days from the date on which government issues the compensation decision.
CPK expects the expropriation process for the initial construction area to complete this year.
Port Polska is an ambitious overhaul of Poland’s transport network, centering on a new international airport sited some 50km west of Warsaw, highway upgrades and 2,000km of high-speed rail.
The goal is to bring all major Polish cities to within 2.5 hours’ travel time of the new Foster + Partners and Buro Happold-designed airport, scheduled to open in 2032.
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