Creation of a photovoltaic park: the Bordeaux administrative court of appeal rejects the request for “Safeguard Berrac”

It’s a cold shower for the “Sauvegarde Berrac” association. The association has been fighting for two years to obtain the annulment of the decision of a building permit, granted on January 25 by the prefect of Gers to the company Neoen, with a view to the construction of a ground-mounted agrivoltaic power plant, in the town of Berrac.

This project provides for the establishment of a photovoltaic park on 30 hectares in the immediate vicinity of the village of Berrac and its first homes, of which “the whole formed by the church, the cemetery and its surroundings”, is listed as a Historic Monument , underlined the association.

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“Safeguard Berrac will not give up!”

“Sauvegarde Berrac” decided to refer the matter to the administrative court of Pau on March 23, 2023.

But on December 13, 2023, the administrative court ruled him wrong. Regardless, the association continued the fight and decided to appeal the decision. “We have very good arguments for us, and still new arguments to put forward on appeal, we are even confident for the future,” predicted Michel Wodon, head of Sauvegarde Berrac, before the appeal hearing.

But the decision which just fell on December 10 says the opposite. The Bordeaux administrative court of appeal rejected the Berracais' request.

“Sauvegarde Berrac” had decided to take legal action, arguing, among other things, that the investigating commissioner had given an unfavorable opinion, as had the Historical Monuments and the Chamber of Agriculture.

The association will have to pay a sum of 1,500 euros to the Néoen company for its legal costs.