The impact of land consolidation on the improvement of spatial structure and farming conditions in areas affected by highway construction

The article discusses the process of land consolidation as a corrective measure used to minimize the negative effects of highway construction. Linear investments, such as highways, cause the fragmentation of agricultural land, leading to numerous problems related to the use of that land, and to limited transport accessibility. As a result, farmers often lose the ability to manage their plots efficiently, which affects the profitability of agricultural production and hinders the development of farms. Moreover, the lack of access to public roads increases transportation costs and reduces the competitiveness of agriculture in the given area. To mitigate these effects, the land consolidation process is applied, allowing for the reorganization of agricultural space, improvement of land structure, and ensuring access to transport infrastructure. The subject of the analysis is the land consolidation process carried out in the northwestern part of Tarnów, where the construction of the A4 highway caused significant disruption to the layout of land plots (parcels) and road network. The goal of the process was to eliminate excessive land fragmentation, improve access to public roads, and modernize the land layout to enable more efficient use in terms of farming and development. The consolidation work included, among other things, the design of a new network of access roads, the elimination of plots without infrastructure access, and the adaptation of space to the needs of local farms and enterprises. The article emphasizes that similar measures are also applied in other European countries, where land consolidation is an essential element of spatial planning.