How this town became the most attractive town in Gironde with 1,500 new inhabitants per year

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The population of the Bordeaux area continues to increase and this city is the perfect example.

According to INSEE figures published on December 19, 2024, Villenave-d'Ornon is the municipality of Gironde which experienced the better growth annual demographic (+4.3%) between 2016 and 2022. A trend which already confirms the data recorded (+2.5%) over the period 2011-2016.

As of January 1, 2022, the city located south of Bordeaux had 42 185 habitants compared to 32,750 souls in 2016. She is the fifth most populated commune in Gironde behind Talence, Pessac, Mérignac and Bordeaux.

“We expected it”

On the town hall side, this beautiful growth has not gone unnoticed. “We expected it. We are looking ahead to 2026 with 43 000 habitants and we are on the expected growth curve,” summarizes Michel Poignonecmayor of Villenave-d'Ornon since April 2023.

This demographic explosion is notably due to the “number of available land” in the town, its “geographical positioning” but also “the arrival of the tramway” in 2019.

Over this period, these are “essentially young couples with young children” who have settled in but also students.

“We had a population born in Villenave-d’Ornon and who wanted to stay there. It was a challenge to succeed in keeping them after leaving the family cocoon. »

Public facilities to meet demand

To successfully respond to this strong growth, the municipality had to work behind the scenes. “We directly felt the need in public facilities,” recalls the city councilor.

Indeed, a new school group opened its doors in September 2021 to welcome young schoolchildren as well as several nurseries. “There is a small point of vigilance all the same on the crèches so some news with 36 cradles additional information is currently being studied. »

For the students too, the city has calculated everything to successfully accommodate them. “Two residences had been created and two others are in progress. construction and could be completed within a good year. »

The municipality is also trying to catch up with a slight delay in social housing to meet the regulatory threshold.

The next expectations

From now on, the mayor of Villenave-d'Ornon is turning to the next challenges of his municipality. “There is too much hypercentralization of economic zones. It was also a fight of my predecessor (Patrick Pujol, mayor from 1995 to 2023) and I hope that businesses will set up in the town which is still attractive. »

A desire to economically boost the territory and reduce the distances between homes and workplaces. “We pay for some old choices. Before, we led people to build far from the metropolis but we forced them to work in the same place. »

In the coming years, Michel Pavoinec also hopes for the arrival of a new asset for the community. “I am waiting for the deployment of the metropolitan RER which will open up part of the area. » The crossing service between Langon and Saint-Mariens-Saint-Yzan should see the light of day in 2028.

Several projects that could allow Villenave-d'Ornon to continue to to grow and perhaps one day become the fourth city the most populated in the department.

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