a project to redesign the town center of Saint-Aubin-Epinay

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“It’s the draft mandate », Says the mayor of Saint-Aubin-Épinay, Benoît Anquetin, near Rouen. A project which, at the very least, will amount to three or four million eurosand which is, for the moment, only at the reflection stage.

Redesigning the heart of the village by giving it a real identity: such is the objective of this vast study, which mobilized specialists from Quartier Libre, to bring about a project led by the Normandy Public Land Establishment (EPFN). It is the result of this work which was presented to the inhabitants of Saint-Aubin-Épinay during a public meeting.

“For now, it’s just a study. We will only launch the project if we can obtain 70% subsidies. Otherwise, it won’t happen,” warns Benoît Anquetin. In any case, based on the comments made by residents and the wishes of the municipality, Quartier Libre was able to sketch out a draft of the project.

Keeping the imprint of a rural village

“This desire to reclassify our town center appeared because the grocery store was for sale. But above all we want to keep thefootprint of a rural village», notes the mayor.

Currently being purchased by the EPFN, the café-grocery store with the adjoining land thus opens up some opportunities. The first question that arises is whether the business will be kept as it is… or not. “It’s an old building, but its facade has been modified a lot over time. There would be significant work to be carried out,” underlines the mayor.

Move the town hall to the presbytery

In any case, the study presented to Saint-Aubinois proposes to move the current town hall into the old presbyterye which would be enlarged. The current town hall is not very visible to those who do not know it, but has a garden located at the rear, which could provide a connection with the presbytery.

The enclosure walls of the presbytery, made of flint and cob, show heritage quality and they must be preserved, but nothing prevents us from imagining openings, so as to link the town center, the presbytery which has become a town hall and the old town hall, which could obviously find another use, such as hosting a multi-service place with producers, local artisans, a bread store and why not a coffee corner.

Another use for the current town hall

Moreover, for the town hall, it would just be another change of use. The mayor recalls that in the past, the office he currently occupies served as the town hall, that the council room housed the school and that in the next room was the official accommodation. A building which would therefore not suffer from writing another page of its history… and its use.

A construction on the Prairie?

In the study carried out by Quartier Libre, the specialists were also interested in what residents know under the name of Prairie: land just opposite the current town hall, not buildable, except for a small part. And it is on this urbanizable part that a construction could see the light of day to accommodate, why not, the current hairdressing salon.

“All of this obviously remains to be refined, but these are avenues for reflection,” underlines Benoît Anquetin, who insists on the fact that the objective of this project is to “create open spaces where people can move around, passing from one place to another. The idea is to have a real public space where to meet and organize events (…) parking spaces will be provided in various places,” reassures the mayor, aware that if we want to revive a business and make to continue the existing one, namely the hairdressing salon, it is essential that people can stop and park easily.

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