After having become, without having decided, a host land for logistics buildings, the community of communes of Pays de Valois (Oise) wants to change gear. For several years, it has deployed a strategy aimed at attracting high value-added companies to its territory.
“Two thirds of our population work outside the territory. Our ambition is to relocate these jobs,” explains Didier Doucet, president of the community and mayor of the commune of Lagny-le-Sec. To succeed in his bet, he is counting on more than 100 hectares of land available at the gates of Ile-de-France and on the installation of large-scale works of Art.
The elected official is first banking on the 47 ha of the ZAC of Silly-le-Long/Le Plessis-Belleville called “Art & Co” on which work is starting (1). The gables of the future companies will serve as support for a 700 m long work worth €1.5 million which will be deployed in a row along the RN 2, from where it will be visible in both directions.
“Interest of entrepreneurs”. “This is a first in Europe. We have included this specificity in the ZAC specifications. This is an element that interests the entrepreneurs with whom we have started to exchange,” says Didier Doucet. He adds that the requirements also require quality materials, water infiltration on the plot, autonomous sanitation and a landscaped setting: “The Eqiom company, already present in the area, will ensure that it fits in better. We will also take advantage of the ZAC to undertake interconnection work between drinking water networks in order to secure supplies,” he explains.
This ZAC is the spearhead of a program built around four axes. The second concerns the rehabilitation of a 40 ha wasteland located at the foot of the Crepy-en-Valois station. “It will host economic and tertiary activities, training companies, public facilities, housing, all next to the future multimodal exchange hub,” underlines the city councilor.
The third aims to create another ZAC, this time further east and aimed more at businesses already present in the area needing to expand. It includes 15 ha of wasteland and 15 ha of agricultural land.
Monumental sculptures. “The fourth is that of the monumental sculpture trail. Financed by an endowment fund that we will create, it will be present in each of the 62 municipalities that make up the Pays de Valois,” underlines Didier Doucet. He adds that a fresco painted on an old electrical transformer in Mareuil-sur-Ourcq launched this project called “Monumental Valois”.
The elected official also hopes to slip through the cracks of the ZAN, by convincing the Hauts-de-France region and state services of the long-term benefits of his strategy to sustainably develop the south of the region.
(1) Project management: Oise development company (SAO).
Project management: Atelier Arval (architecture, town planning, landscape). BET: TPFi and Art City Advisory.
