Improving agricultural land structure through land consolidation: impact on cadastral parcel geometry and road network functionality
1
Faculty of Environmental Engineering and Geodesy, University of Agriculture in Krakow
Submission date: 2026-06-09
Final revision date: 2026-07-08
Acceptance date: 2026-07-10
Publication date: 2026-10-09
Corresponding author
Arkadiusz Doroż
Wydział Inżynierii Środowiska i Geodezji, Uniwersytet Rolniczym im. Hugona Kołłątaja w Krakowie, Poland
Wydział Inżynierii Środowiska i Geodezji, Uniwersytet Rolniczym im. Hugona Kołłątaja w Krakowie, Poland
Geomatics, Landmanagement and Landscape 2026;(3)
KEYWORDS
spatial structureland consolidationelongation ratiocadastral parcelsagricultural road networkroad accessibility
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Land consolidation is one of the most important instruments for improving the spatial structure of agricultural areas. It reorganizes cadastral parcels, improves road accessibility, and modernizes agricultural infrastructure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of land consolidation on parcel geometry and the functionality of the agricultural road network, considering the Przeginia cadastral unit in southern Poland as a case study. The analysis was based on a comparative before–after approach. Changes in parcel geometry were assessed using
the elongation ratio, while road network functionality was evaluated through analyses of parcel accessibility, road conditions, planned infrastructure improvements, and the occurrence of informal farm tracks. Cadastral data, land consolidation design documents, and spatial analyses prepared during the consolidation process were used as source materials. The results demonstrated a substantial improvement in parcel geometry. The number of parcels with an elongation ratio exceeding 1:20 decreased by 64.6%, while the number of parcels with favourable proportions (1:4–1:1) increased by 66.9%. The number of parcels without access to a public road decreased from 651 to 104, which was an 84.0% reduction. In addition, more than 48 km of agricultural roads were planned for construction or reconstruction. The project also eliminated approximately 190 km of informal farm tracks, enabling the recovery of about 47.5 ha of land for agricultural production. The findings confirm that land consolidation can significantly improve cadastral parcel geometry, road accessibility, and the overall functionality of agricultural production space.
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