According to Expresso, this Friday, the group has been studying the feasibility of the project for three years, which will be implemented in phases, starting with a regional infrastructure, with only one runway and an estimated investment of less than one billion euros, without any injection of public money.

However, and despite the private sector calculating that the project will be funded through port taxes already applied, it is reported that the State's involvement will be inevitable, as soon as it comes to licensing the infrastructure and granting, for example, the status of the Project of National Interest.

According to a document to which Expresso had access to, the group includes national and foreign investors, as well as the participation of a large Portuguese group that is not identified.

"There is interest shown by operators and tier one investors worldwide, who have been following and/or participating in the preparation and development of the studies for over two years and who are interested in joining the group for the investment and management of the new airport," the document explains.

In order to go ahead, the construction of the new airport would not require authorisation from ANA as the suggested location is outside ANA's area.

The group of investors argues that the project does not pose environmental risks or pose any threat to the health of the population of Santarém.

In its first phase, with one runway, the collective estimates that the new airport will have the capacity to serve around 10 million passengers, with subsequent expansion planned for three runways with capacity for 100 million passengers, thus becoming a new Lisbon international airport.

Expresso' reports that the government is already aware of the proposal, but has not yet reacted publicly.