An online petition with almost 35,000 signatures, another signed by 500 inhabitants and even a topical issue (from the opposition) to the last municipal council … The future of a 35-acre plot has rarely sparked so much debate in Strasbourg.
Why ? Because it is a wood threatened to be replaced by about thirty dwellings but also because it is the ecological town hall which issued the building permit. “It’s still incredible that a green majority is doing this to us! », Summarizes Philippe Cornec, one of the residents of this famous rue de Bussière, in the district of Robertsau.
With its neighbors, they have been engaged in a real fight since June. Since they learned, on the 11th, that two apartment buildings and a detached house would soon take place in front of their home. In a place that they believed to be protected and that a modification of the local inter-communal urban planning plan (PLUi) made sacred… two weeks later. “On these documents, it is written in black and white that the sector is part of an ecological continuity and a green and blue framework,” continues the resident, surprised by the timing.
“Flaw in town planning law”
This combination of circumstances would not have changed the case anyway, according to the neighborhood assistant. “The developer had requested an urban planning certificate in 2020, which allows him to do away with any modification of the PLUi,” explains Marc Hoffsess. His request is legal and he is engulfed in a loophole in town planning law. If we denied him the building permit, he could attack us. “
A position confirmed by Nexity. “We respected the PLUi in force and met the elected officials concerned beforehand,” explains a spokesperson for the real estate group. This is not a forced passage on our part. We can understand that the subject is debated, but our concern is to house people. We are part of a building zone and there have been six years of discussions. “
Since 2016, two projects, respectively 32 and 31 housing units, had been refused. Until this final agreement. “We negotiated a lot to improve it and many trees will be saved,” insists Marc Hoffsess, without giving any figures. Yet it is on this precise point that his camp was attacked by the opposition to the last municipal council. The same ecological majority who has communicated since his inauguration on his Canopy Plan and the planting of 10,000 trees over the next ten years.
“I refuse this criticism of these green people who would not be green”
“It’s nice to put trees in pots on Place Kléber, but it won’t replace all the trees that have been cut,” says Alain Fontanel. The former first deputy and great defeated of the last elections accuses the team of the mayor Jeanne Barseghian of having “given up its power of influence and negotiation with the promoter”.
“The lever was not the right of first refusal, but there was a political way to prevent that. No promoter has any interest in having a bad relationship with the town hall, ”he explains before attacking the executive in place more head-on. “Behind their ecological ideology, we can see that they believe in the need to densify certain areas,” he asserts.
“I refuse this criticism of these green people who are not green,” retorts Marc Hoffsess. “I went on a hunger strike to save part of Brumath Forest so I know what I’m talking about. We are attached to places of nature but we act in an environment of law and everything does not depend on public authority. There is a right to property too, he adds, clearly calling on the developer to act. He can still adapt his project. He has a responsibility, maybe he can hear it. “
So, will Nexity back down? “The question is not on the agenda,” he replies. For now, there are gracious remedies underway. They come from residents, who are still waiting for a sign from Jeanne Barseghian. “We will advise based on his response,” indicates Philippe Cornec. Litigation is not excluded. “