A new weapon for the municipality of Bastia in the commercial revitalization of the city center. This Thursday, December 19, the municipal council will consider a deliberation aimed at implementing a right of pre-emption on each sale of business.
Concretely, the town hall services will be able to prevent the purchase of commercial premisesif the associated project does not correspond to the political philosophy of the city.
Supporting example: “If someone wants to open a restaurant on Boulevard Paoli after having bought commercial premises, we can prevent them from doing so when we judge that it is not their place, explains Emmanuelle de Gentili, first deputy mayor of Bastia. For this, we have the possibility of pre-empting the premises. Then, we resell the premises to encourage the establishment of another activity, which we have targeted. Before reaching that point, however, we will prioritize negotiation with the buyer.”
“847 active businesses and 125 vacant cells” in the city center, according to a study
The approach has several objectives. Strengthen the commercial attractiveness of the city center, control future commercial establishments and develop activities considered under-represented, but also fight against commercial vacancy.
It is based on statistics gathered after two years of work in a document entitled “The trade observatory”. Thus, 972 premises are identified at the foot of the building, i.e. the commercial composition of a city center of 80,000 inhabitants, for 847 active businesses and 125 vacant cells.
The document identifies several activities to “not or no longer develop” such as souvenir shops, opticians, insurance and mutual societies, real estate agencies, tobacconists, seasonal activities, dark stores or dark kitchens and seasonal real estate rentals.
“We must avoid the proliferation of national brands”
In return, the municipality wishes to develop local and specialized food businesses, take-away and typical catering, the health sector, DIY, new technologies, second-hand products, childcare, sports equipment, producer drives or even the cultural and artistic offer. “We must regulate the market, adds the chosen one. We must avoid the proliferation of national brands.”
The system could come into force at the beginning of 2025 if validated by the municipal council this Thursday. To finance possible acquisitions, a land structure for commercial and territorial revitalization will also be created in the first quarter of 2025.
In this vast strategy to revitalize the city center, a tax on commercial wastelands had already been adopted in November 2023: “We must act to maintain commercial diversity and support local commerce.”
