Abstract The paper describes land-use changes in Olsztyn suburban area, resulting from the planned construction of the southern bypass of the city. It also raises the issues concerning both the concept of the bypass routes and the revocation of the Environmental Permit for the north-eastern bypass of the city. In 2007, Environmental Impact Reports were drawn up for two Olsztyn bypasses. One of them is the northeastern bypass (with a length of 11.1 km) which, according to plan, was to run through Dywity commune and Barczewo urban-and-rural commune. The relevant Environmental Permit was repealed in 2012 by the Provincial Administrative Court in Warszawa, following a wave of protest. The other i.e. the southern bypass (with a length of 24.7 km) is to run through five communes l municipalities: Barczewo, Purda, Stawiguda, Gietrzwałd, and Olsztyn. In 2013, the bypass was entered in Annex 6 to the Resolution of the Council of Ministers List of certain projects involving the construction of bypasses on national roads, to be implemented in the EU's new financial perspective for 2014-2020. According to plans, it is supposed to be constructed by 2017. In this way, 21 types of land in use (941 plots in total) in parts of 17 geodesic precincts will be land developed. In total, this is an area of 2,469.2 ha of land (counting plots to be bought out), including 2,357 ha in Olsztyn suburban area, which accounts for 1.7% of the total area thereof. The land concerned primarily consists of: arable land (1,065.7 ha), roads (already existing ones: 459.5 ha), pastures (139.8 ha), meadows (116.9 ha), and wasteland (105.7 ha). A percentage of arable land with the highest i.e. third class of soil quality (in the area concerned) will get significantly depleted (above the average value for the above-mentioned communes l municipalities, i.e. 11.8% as compared to 3.0%). 493.2 ha of forests will be cut down. The area to be land developed is large, considering that in 2011, the transport areas in Olsztyn suburban area covered a total of 3,223.3 ha (2.4% of the total area of Olsztyn suburban area).

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