During the Rhône Gard agglomeration council, which was held this Monday, September 30, community advisors were called upon to comment on the results of the second phase of the consultation relating to the future Domaine de Brès project. The presentation of the deliberation by Brigitte Vandemeulebroucke revealed mixed results: out of 1035 observations collected, 589 were unfavorable, raising questions about the management of environmental issues, mobility, as well as noise and visual pollution. On the other hand, 446 opinions were favorable to the project.
Eric Ajasse, elected in Verfeuil, a neighboring town, fiercely opposed the project. He expressed several questions and remarks regarding the consultation and its results.
Eric Ajasse stressed that the consultation document continues to talk about projects rather than regularization. He recalled that the main buildings already exist and that the permits were canceled by the administrative court. According to him, the project has been revised downwards, but once the Local Urban Plan (PLU) has been modified, the project owner (EURL de Brès) could return to his initial idea and present a permit for 100 rooms. He also mentioned the Bride and Groom’s Lodge, built without authorization in the private domain of the commune of Goudargues, but designed on the owner’s plot by the architect.
Eric Ajasse also contested the general interest of the project. According to him, declaring this project of general interest is the only method allowing the Territorial Coherence Scheme (SCOT) to be modified via a public inquiry. He stressed that the project is mainly for events (weddings and receptions) and not for tourism, which does not justify general interest. He wondered how the bride and groom and their guests could coexist with ordinary tourists.
Eric Ajasse criticized the presentation of contributions in the deliberation, considering it misleading. He deplored the fact that unfavorable observations were presented as questions, which did not reflect the reality of the opinions collected. He also asked why not all contributions were included in the balance sheet, as had been the case in the first phase.
Eric Ajasse concluded by requesting a postponement of the deliberation to allow a revision and a new presentation of the results with all the contributions. If the postponement is not accepted, he asked that the vote on this deliberation be done by secret ballot.
Following the vote by show of hands, the deliberation was adopted by a majority with 6 votes against and 20 abstentions. However, this decision caused a strong reaction among the participants. Around ten people expressed their dissatisfaction, causing the session to be interrupted. This spontaneous demonstration reflects the tensions and deep divisions within the community regarding the Domaine de Brès project.
The debate on the Domaine de Brès project was intense and highlighted concerns regarding transparency, the general interest and the management of environmental issues. Eric Ajasse’s remarks highlight the need for more inclusive and transparent consultation to ensure that the decisions taken truly reflect the expectations and concerns of citizens. The manifestation of discontent following the vote also shows that dialogue must continue to ease tensions and find consensual solutions.
Faced with these attacks, the President of the agglomeration, Jean-Christian Rey recalled that it is not a question of voting for or against the project but of validating the results of the consultation. “The time for debate on the project will come later.”
Regarding the tourist interest of such a project, Jean-Christian Rey recalls: “the tourist destination Provence Occitane is 4.5% more hotel nights compared to 2023, and this is thanks to seasonal wings. We must continue this work on the seasonal wings,” adds the President.
