Fight against concretization: compromise deputies-senators for more "flexibility"

The parliamentarians notably succeeded in converging on the thorniest points of a senatorial bill: the way of counting the artificialized surfaces within the framework of projects of national scope, and the guarantee of a minimum right to build for the municipalities.

For major projects, an agreement has been sealed so that the surfaces used are well accounted for within the framework of the limits set by the Climate Law of 2021, i.e. a maximum of 125.000 hectares suitable for artificial development for the country by 2031.

The Senate wanted these projects not to be included in the overall objectives, so as not to reduce the margins of the regions. But the Assembly had adopted a text including them well in the overall envelope, via a "package" of 15.000 hectares (including 12.500 broken down between territories outside Ile-de-France, Corsica and overseas).

The principle of this package is maintained in the compromise, including projects stamped "green industry". But it is reduced by 2.500 hectares, taking into account the fact that certain major rail or nuclear projects will not be finalized by 2031. "This gives rural municipalities a margin of 2.500 hectares", underlined Bastien Marchive (Renaissance), rapporteur in the Assembly, welcoming that the senators have given up the right of veto for the regions for national projects on their territory.

The agreement in the Joint Joint Committee (CMP) also maintains the "rural guarantee" desired by the Senate, establishing a "right to build" of at least one hectare per municipality. The deputies have accepted that it is not reserved for “low” or “very low” dense municipalities.

The Minister for Ecological Transition, Christophe Béchu, welcomed the agreement to AFP, which "translates the common desire of all parliamentarians to give credibility to the fight against urban sprawl" and "at the same time to give flexibility" in the "zero net artificialisation of soils" (ZAN).

These objectives, resulting from the Climate law of 2021, plan to halve by 2031 the consumption of natural and agricultural spaces compared to the previous decade. Then, by 2050, no more concrete floors unless "renaturing" equivalent surfaces.

"We have been able to overcome our deep differences to develop a text that responds concretely to the difficulties and blockages that have come to us from elected officials", rejoiced Valérie Létard (LR), president of the commission in charge of the text in the Senate.

The compromise must be submitted to the final vote of the Assembly on July 12 and the Senate on July 13.