The Neuchâtel Addiction Foundation and the Les Hirondelles collective have reached an agreement concerning the premises of Pontareuse, in Boudry (NE). The negotiations resulted in the signing of a loan contract formalizing the presence of the collective from Wednesday.
The affair hit the headlines in the canton of Neuchâtel, and beyond, between the end of March and the beginning of April. The Les Hirondelles collective had illegally taken possession of the premises of the Pontareuse estate, owned by the Addiction Neuchâtel Foundation, the latter recalled on Wednesday in a press release.
Following the criminal complaint filed by the foundation, the collective agreed to leave the premises to “restore a balance in the dialogue aimed at formalizing their presence on the site”, under the conditions set by Addiction Neuchâtel. The collective is now formed into an association, “Les Hirondelles et ses ami-exs”.
>> Reread: The Hirondelles collective will leave the Pontareuse site in Boudry on Monday
Meetings and exchanges
Les Hirondelles will thus be able to settle on part of the estate and temporarily, specifies the press release. In detail, on April 8, the Addiction Neuchâtel Foundation issued its conditions regarding the future presence of the collective to develop market gardening activities on the Pontareuse estate.
These conditions having not been met by the set deadline, following the criminal complaint, the collective finally left the premises a week later. From then on, discussions took place between representatives of the Foundation and the collective.
Today, after three meetings and numerous discussions, the foundation notes that the required conditions are met. Indeed, in addition to the constitution of the collective as an association within the meaning of articles 60 et seq. of the Swiss Civil Code, the elements linked to the initial illegal occupation have been settled.
Until the end of November 2025
The contract concerns an apartment as well as the premises and outbuildings of the estate’s farm, as well as a meeting room. It is also agreed that the association will be able to continue its market gardening activity on the plot already exploited, in agreement with the farmers already subject to a contract with the foundation.
The association has been informed that its presence on site remains temporary, until the foundation’s projects can be carried out. The loan contract extends until November 30, 2025, notes the press release. It is renewable from year to year, subject to six months’ notice in the event of termination.
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