Near Montpellier. Castelnau-le-Lez: the Charles de Gaulle-Europe building limited to six floors

The project aroused strong opposition : two of the three nine-story, 250-unit residences will never be built in Castelnau-le-Lezat the north-eastern gates of Montpellier, as the mayor, Frédéric Lafforgue and metropolitan elected official has just confirmed.

“I have taken note of the report of the investigating commissioner on the public inquiry requested by Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole with a view to revising the local urban planning plan -PLU- of the municipality. I acknowledge his unfavourable opinion, many elements of which are nevertheless subject to discussion, as they reflect an inaccurate view of the reality of the facts, or deviate significantly from the subjects put to the inquiry. I had indicated, several months ago, my wish to review certain aspects of the urbanisation of the municipality, in particular on the subjects concerning the avenue de l’Europe”, announces Frédéric Lafforgue.

At a public meeting on Monday, May 13, 2024 at Kiasma, the mayor had already made a major announcement regarding the draft amendment number 4 of the Local Urban Plan aimed at supporting the urban renewal of Avenue de l’Europe: he had declared that he had “realized to what extent this project has “raised concerns”, justifying his backtracking. “I think it would be useful for Castelnau and our fellow citizens who want a peaceful city, not to include in this amendment of the Plu the possibility of building the two nine-story buildings imagined on the sites of the current Boulange and Arcades, and to stick, on these two sites, to the rules of the Plu in force. As for the third building located at the corner of Place Charles de Gaulle and at the start of Avenue de l’Europe, It is part of the final phase of the development of this place. […] The architectural project of this building will have to be revised to better integrate into the site with a height reduced to five or six floors maximum.”

The mayor therefore now assures that this real estate project is definitively buried: “I had thus proposed increasing by 4.5 the proportion of land to remain in open ground, the creation of reserved locations to improve “soft mode” connections and to increase the number of landscaped public spaces, or the limitation to R+1 of possible constructions on the streets of Perrières or Galine. Not to mention my public speech on May 13th concerning my desire to eliminate the possibility of increasing volume on three clearly identified sectors of the avenue, at the Charles De Gaulle, Rome or London roundabouts.”

Aldi and Bustram

Frédéric Lafforgue points out that, “for the record, these unfavourable opinions concern structural issues for our city, namely the protection of the old centre where more than ever we must remain mobilised so that another commercial brand comes replace Aldi store (Editor’s note: it has been closed since its move to the Aube Rouge commercial area), the construction of some housing to accommodate new police officers, young couples and workers from the ESAT in Devois, the creation of a lane reserved for Chest strap in Sablassou and the increase in the social mix servitude”.

The mayor indicates that, “the latter are therefore referred to the autumn and to the decisions of the Metropolis taken on the occasion of the implementation of the intercommunal local urban planning plan, the Plui. With all the Castelnauviens, with all my energy and my conviction, we will be very attentive to ensure that the developments of the urban planning rules resulting from the Plui can allow us to build the pleasant and peaceful living environment that we all want.”

In Castelnau-le-Lez, a new front of opposition is rising around the project to urbanise the agricultural lands of Sablassou to build the Bustram line, which clearly does not have unanimous support.

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