Heraklion airport land redevelopment moves to next phase as tender for business plan nears
The redevelopment of Heraklion’s “Nikos Kazantzakis” airport site is moving into a new phase, with a tender for a business plan study expected to be launched in the coming period, according to information reported by cretalive.gr.
The tender is expected to be issued by the former Hellenic Corporation of Assets and Participations (known as the “Superfund,” now the National Development Fund) for a specialized study that will determine the possibilities and directions for developing the site. The study will effectively define the business plan that authorities will use to decide on the final profile and redevelopment scheme for the land.
The move follows completion of the Local Urban Plan (TPS) for the area, which has been finished by the planning team for several months and is now awaiting approval from the Ministry of Environment before it can go to public consultation.
New Kastelli airport to free up the site
The eventual relocation of Heraklion airport and the release of a large tract of land covering thousands of stremmata is expected once the new international airport at Kastelli, in the Pediada region, begins operating, projected for late 2028 or early 2029. Authorities and observers describe the redevelopment of the current airport site as one of the most significant development opportunities for Heraklion in coming decades.
Proposals already put forward through the Local Urban Plan include mixed uses such as residential and social housing, commercial and business activities, a technology park, a marina, and conversion of the airport’s current main terminal building into an administrative center.
Planner describes unified approach to the site
Giorgos Alexakis, urban planner and head-coordinator of the study team behind the Local Urban Plan for Heraklion, told cretalive.gr that a completed plan is currently on the table, finished by his team several months ago, and is now awaiting the Ministry of Environment’s approval to proceed to consultation.
Alexakis said that, based on available information, the tender for the business plan study represents an additional piece of the process. He said his team’s approach to the plan treats the airport site as a single, unified area rather than dividing it according to which parts belong to which owner.
“Our approach is unified, based on the suitability of uses — that is, on what is most appropriate to develop where in the site, rather than on who owns what. This is what makes sense from an urban planning and development standpoint,” Alexakis said.
He added that the redevelopment process functions as a chain: the Local Urban Plan sets out land uses and proposals at the planning level, while the exact manner of implementing those uses will be determined by the National Development Fund through institutional dialogue with relevant bodies. He said a corporate entity bringing together all co-owners of the land is expected to be created at a later stage. Regarding ownership, Alexakis said that while some uncertainty remains, there is general agreement that roughly two-thirds of the site belongs to the Greek state and one-third to the Municipality of Heraklion.
Alexakis said the overall philosophy of redevelopment should follow a unified logic rather than being divided by ownership, drawing a comparison with the former Hellinikon airport site in Athens. He noted that the Municipality of Heraklion, the Region of Crete, and the former secretary-general of the Ministry of Environment, Mr. Bakogiannis, had agreed with the general framework of the plan, which he expects the upcoming business plan study to build upon.
Details of the proposed urban plan
The redevelopment plan for the wider area of the Nikos Kazantzakis airport site, as set out in the Local Urban Plan, envisages a mixed combination of residential, commercial, recreational and administrative uses.
The plan proposes residential zones, including the possibility of social housing programs, described as significant given the housing crisis affecting Heraklion. Once the military camps on the site are vacated or relocated, the area currently occupied by the SEAP camp is proposed to host a technology park intended to support new businesses in the technology sector, while the site of the MOMA army camp is proposed for social housing programs.
The northern part of the airport site could be made available to investors for housing development, with a marina proposed to the northeast. According to the plan, development of the marina would depend on an investor’s assessment of its financial viability, given that it could add value to the adjoining residential project.
The Local Urban Plan proposes that the airport’s main terminal building become a regional administrative center, housing services including the Region of Crete, the Decentralized Administration of Crete, the Municipality of Heraklion, and the 7th Health Region of Crete. The plan suggests this could be combined with a transport hub, given the available space, potentially serving as a transfer point connected to the new Kastelli airport. The stated aim is to create a multi-service administrative building that would allow residents to handle multiple public transactions in a single visit. The plan also proposes establishing a Civil Protection Center using the existing fire station on the site.
