The laying of the first stone (the first block of hemp) of the future Business and Skills campus of the CCI Lozère was carried out on Wednesday November 13, 2024, in the presence of Carole Delga, the president of the Occitanie region.
It was under a radiant sun, on this cold Wednesday, November 13, 2024, that Carole Delga, president of the Occitanie region, arrived on the heights of Mende, rue Albert-Einstein, in order to honor with her presence the laying of the foundation stone of the new Business and Skills campus in Lozère.
Thierry Julier, the president of the local CCI, project manager in the matter, also brought together Philippe Castanet, the prefect, Laurent Suau, the president of the departmental council, Sophie Pantel, the deputy. Everyone, in accordance with their functions, worked to ensure that this €3.80 million project saw the light of day. In a building that will meet the strictest requirements in terms of adaptation to global warming.
An innovative construction site, a “Gold” building
The CCI will move to the site at the end of the work, planned for 2025, into a new bio-sourced building. The current premises of the CCI on Boulevard Soubeyran will be taken over by the Departmental Union of Energy and Equipment of Lozère (SDEE) for €1.25 million.
Thierry Julier recalled all the benefits of the operation: “It is an innovative project, using hemp as a construction material and other ecological materials. This building will not only be the future headquarters of the CCI. It will embody a broader vision, the Business and Skills campus. This place is intended to be a space for sharing and collaboration between several generations. It will welcome start-up businesses, community stakeholders involved in economic development, students from our nearby Purple Campus school, teams from the Chamber of Commerce and the general public. , with a room of 160 m2.”
The economic leader insisted on the durability of the enclosure, certified “Gold” with the Occitanie sustainable building label, “with the ambition of becoming a model of positive energy”. Laurent Suau underlined the importance of the place: “We are here in the POLeN zone, the Lozère digital hub. It was created on the initiative of Jean-Jacques Delmas. The first optical fiber was laid there.”
Carole Delga appreciated the moment: “It is a building which is exemplary in its construction and design in the services provided to businesses and the training systems by Purple, the regional network supported by the CCI Occitanie. I am attentive to the creation of jobs throughout the territory.”
The president underlined the importance of participation in the project of the national hemp school of Mende. The Region contributed €557,000 to the project, added to €156,421 from the European Regional Development Fund. (Feder). “We want to support project leaders to achieve demographic growth in all departments, outside of Toulouse and Montpellier. To be able to attract the population, we need employment, with educational support, in particular with the consular network.”
A project that makes sense for the State
MP Sophie Pantel was involved in the project from the beginning, as president of the Department. “Before sharing wealth we must create it, she recalled. Today is the opportunity to see the outcome of a project.” She recalled the amendment tabled and defended by her in the finance committees of the National Assembly (see insert) to guarantee the financial future of the CCIs.
Finally, Philippe Castanet, prefect of Lozère for a few more days, did not fail to affirm the need for the State to be present alongside the consular chamber, with €700,000 in contributions: “I said yes very quickly to Thierry Julier. It made sense to bring the CCI and the training center together in the same place, with an ambitious project. Our grants support a future-oriented orientation that aims to face new challenges, with sustainable solutions for businesses.”
At the time of the speeches, two Air Force fighter planes split the sky, with a deafening noise. “We would have liked blue-white-red but we couldn’t afford it,” laughed Thierry Julier. A beautiful baptism.
The Pantel amendment to defend the interests of the CCIs
“The new government wanted to change the structure of the tax which fell to the chambers of commerce, putting them at risk, particularly the small ones. This called into question the solidarity between them,” explained Sophie Pantel.
She worked with Alain Di Crescenzo, the president of CCI France, for the interests of the CCIs. “I defended my amendment in the finance committees of the assembly, leading the left bloc. The right voted for it, except the RN. It was adopted in session. The first part of the revenue was not validated in the Assembly, the amendments fall. But the government has expressed the wish to take up this amendment. This should go through to the end. I have tabled the same for the trade chambers.
