> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://barna.news/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Aena to Buy Llobregat Wetlands for Airport Expansion - URL: https://barna.news/aena-to-buy-llobregat-wetlands-for/ - Published: 2026-10-09T16:44:52.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-09T16:44:52.000Z - Description: Aena has reserved funds to purchase and restore wetlands in the Llobregat Delta as environmental compensation for expanding Barcelona-El Prat Airport. - Author: Barna.News - Tags: environment ## Funds Reserved Ahead of Expansion Aena, the state-owned operator of Spain's airports, has set aside budget in its Airport Regulation Document (DORA III) for 2027–2031 to acquire degraded land in the Llobregat Delta and restore it as floodable wetlands. The move aims to demonstrate to the European Commission that environmental compensation for the planned expansion of Barcelona-El Prat Airport will be implemented, not just promised. The investment is part of a broader €13 billion national airport modernisation plan approved by the Council of Ministers on 15 September 2026, which allocates €1.765 billion specifically to Barcelona-El Prat under DORA III. While major construction, including the extension of the third runway and a new satellite terminal, will follow later approval of the airport’s Master Plan, the wetland purchase is intended as an early signal of commitment. --- ## Ecological Restoration as Compensation The Catalan government’s Department of Territory, Housing, and Ecological Transition had urged Aena to begin acquiring land to offset the environmental impact of the expansion. The Llobregat Delta, a protected natural area, has long been under pressure from infrastructure projects, and the European Commission currently has an infringement procedure open against Spain over insufficient protection of the site. Under the proposal, Aena will purchase a symbolic portion of land, around 270 hectares, or roughly 25% of the total area to be rewilded, to show stakeholder involvement. However, the exact plots and cost have not yet been determined. > The objective is to demonstrate to Brussels that the environmental compensation for expanding the airport is real. Aena will not act alone. The Generalitat must first identify the most ecologically suitable areas for restoration, using its detailed knowledge of the delta’s ecosystem. Only after this step can land acquisition proceed. --- ## European Approval Still Pending Before any purchase can take place, the European Commission must close its ongoing investigation into the delta’s environmental status. The previous expansion of El Prat over 25 years ago left unfulfilled ecological commitments, which contributed to the current legal action. Both the Generalitat and the Ministry for Ecological Transition say they are actively responding to the Commission’s formal notice to resolve the issue. Only after the investigation is closed can the expansion project be formally evaluated. Despite the delays, Aena has confirmed its willingness to begin compensatory actions in advance. The company has already completed environmental restoration of 75,000 m² near the airport in recent years, according to official reports. - DORA III was published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) on 19 September 2026 (BOE-A-2026-19507). - The Master Plan for El Prat is not expected to be approved until late 2029. - Final European Commission endorsement depends on resolution of the infringement procedure. The airport operator says it is preparing to act, but the timeline remains contingent on higher-level approvals. For now, the commitment to buy and restore land stands as a preliminary but significant step toward reconciling infrastructure growth with ecological responsibility. --- *Primary sources:* [*lamoncloa.gob.es*](https://www.lamoncloa.gob.es/lang/en/gobierno/councilministers/paginas/2026/20260915-council-press-conference.aspx?ref=barna.news)*,* [*aena.es*](https://www.aena.es/sites/Satellite?blobcol=urldata&blobkey=id&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobwhere=1576875003871&ssbinary=true&ref=barna.news)*,* [*mediambient.gencat.cat*](https://mediambient.gencat.cat/web/.content/home/ambits%5Fdactuacio/patrimoni%5Fnatural/senp%5Fcatalunya/espais%5Fsistema/n707%5Fdocs%5Fcomuns/acord%5Fgov%5F112%5F2006.pdf?ref=barna.news)*. Reported by elperiodico.com, Aviacionline, cnmv.es, russpain.com, El Periódico Barcelona.* --- ### Related on Barna.News - [Aena denies delays in Barcelona Airport expansion](https://barna.news/aena-denies-delays-in-barcelona-airport/) - [Aigües de Barcelona CEO: Water Must Not Depend on Rain](https://barna.news/aigues-de-barcelona-ceo-water-must-not/)