The transformation of commercial areas at the entrance to the city could lead to the creation of 1,6 million homes, according to a study.

Predominantly commercial spaces located at the interface of rural and urban spaces, commercial city entrances symbolize what some call "ugly France" but still concentrate 72% of French spending.

In September 2023, the government announced the launch of an experimental program to transform these areas, which represent a major economic and ecological challenge as land becomes scarce. Since then, communication on the subject has been scarce.

Some 123.200 housing units "could be created in the short term" on sites "of less than three hectares", 336.700 housing units could be developed "within 15 years on sites of three to five hectares", while the transformation of large sites requires a longer time, with a prospect of "1,18 million housing units over the next 20 or 25 years", according to this first "barometer" produced by the real estate group Icade and SCET, two subsidiaries of the Caisse des Dépôts.

More than 3.800 sites have "transformation potential for a total surface area of ​​80.000 hectares," the study notes, a figure higher than the 50.000 hectares identified by the government, which is due in particular to the integration of a greater number of small areas.

The Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Hauts-de-France, Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Grand Est regions have the largest number of sites.

In addition to housing, these areas could free up "15.00,0 hectares of economic land" and "10.000 hectares of renatured areas and green spaces", or half of the average surface area artificialised each year in France.

Their transformation, however, faces a number of obstacles. According to Nicolas Joly, CEO of Icade, quoted in the study, the obstacles are notably linked to the "ability to carry the project over the long term," to the "difficulties in finding an economic balance," to the "diversity of the stakeholders involved," and to the "risk of competition with the city center."

The Icade group has set itself the mission of intervening in these areas.

"To date, two waves of winners have already been announced, enabling 89 projects to be supported," representing a budget of 32 million euros, even though "not all the funds have been used," the Directorate General for Enterprises (DGE), which reports to the Ministry of the Economy, told AFP.

These winning projects include the creation of more than 10.000 homes, the redevelopment of more than 200 businesses and the renaturation of nearly 240.000 m2.

"This system has had a significant triggering and accelerating effect within the regions, by financially supporting projects and enabling all stakeholders to come together around the same table," the same source added.