The Chamber would like to modify five essential points in this document, which shapes the Riviera in 2020: business parks, transport, accommodation, waste, and development of the department.
It is an institution. It is used to say things gently. However, regarding its opinion for the DTA (Territorial planning directive), the CCI didn't mince its words. During the general assembly within its premises at the boulevard Carabacel, Christian Laroque, the vice-president, has made criticisms, after the president Francis Perugini had told the general opinion.
First point: demographic growth management
What are the grievances? They don't concern the diagnosis made by the State but concern the decisions and orientations taken after these discussions regarding the French Riviera for 2020. First point: accommodation. "The DTA aims at creating 175,000 additional accommodation for 2020. It is a moderate growth which was much discussed, Christian Laroque said. However, the DTA aims at building these accommodation on the coast mainly (48%), the rest being built in the centre (46%) and the highlands (6%). "We are totally perplexed if the coast can host 82,000 additional beds and if a city can be built over the city, reckons Christian Laroque, who is for an harmonious development on the overall department, with the creation of central poles in the centre, such as the example of Mouans-Sartoux.
Second point for disagreement: business parks. "How is it possible to create 100,000 additional jobs considering the lack of land made worse by the PPR (Risks prevention plans). The DTA should encourage towns to open their POS and allow to avoid the change of industrial business parks in business zones only. For example, on the plain of the Var, the DTA dedicates few space to the economic business park. The CCI is also for a re-balancing in the East of the department, where there is currently no possibility to build a business park.
Third point: transports. The Chamber of commerce agrees to give the priority to public transports. However, the construction of new routes shouldn't be necessarily postponed. It is imperative to develop public transports and routes at the same time. "Moreover, we don't accept the decision of the DTA concerning the road infrastructure which leaves the new bypasses to Nice and Antibes pending. Besides, there is no answer in the DTA to solve the opening-up of the Alpes-Maritimes.
Fourth point: treatment of waste. Texts of the directive are considered as weak. The CCI tried this year to find a solution for the treatment of waste after the closure of the site at Jas-de-Madame but no other site was planned to be created in the department. The consular body also considers that it is essential that the DTA plans and claims sites to stock and deal with waste.
The vision of the State in 20 years time. According to Francis Perugini, "the DTA is the vision of the State in twenty years time. The CCI wishes to bring its contribution, giving its opinion for such or such evolution. Through the comprehensive development area map (POS) of different towns, we can see that solutions that should be required are not set up. For example, the urban sprawl keeps on growing in the centre but city councils don't bring the necessary transports".
A campaign of signatures. Thus, a campaign of signatures was launched to make the employees and companies’ opinion known. The CCI particularly claims that the project of the DTA in the Alpes-Maritimes be modified on five essential points.
- First: better consideration of the economic development.
- Second: more accommodation for working people.
- Third: transports: in order to avoid the programmed asphyxia.
- Fourth: for a real solution to the treatment of waste.
- Fifth: for a balanced development in the department.
An on-line version of this "DTA Plan" is available on the following website: www.ccinice-cote-azur.com.