No date has yet been set for the two appeals filed by opponents of the warehouse project (160,000 m²) in Petit-Couronne. The mayor of the municipality where the mega logistics platform could be built would like it to come out of the ground quickly.
“I don’t know why it’s taken so long, perhaps the French administrative slowness… On the other hand, what I’m sure of is my determination to see the 1,830 jobs that the logistics platform will generate ( 160,000 m²) of Amazon on the former Petroplus site”readily acknowledges Joël Bigot.
Impatience
The mayor (“PS, for now”) of Petit-Couronne, “naturally optimistic”, impatiently awaits the decision of the Administrative Court of Rouen. However, entered by Stop Amazon 76a group of environmentalist associations (France Nature Environnement, Les Amis de la Terre), the court has still not set a date to study each other’s arguments and then render its decision, at least ten days after the audience.
Two appeals
The first appeal before the administrative court against the arrival of the American giant in this damaged industrial city was filed on April 25, 2021. It relates to the building permit granted by the town hall of Petit-Couronne. Which had brushed aside the request of the opponents filed on his desk on January 15, 2021.
The second appeal was filed in early July 2021. It concerns the impact on the environment (high road activity estimated at 3,770 movements of light vehicles and 418 movements of heavy goods vehicles) and one of the prefectural orders.
“It takes between a year and eighteen months before the appeals are studied by an administrative tribunal”underlines for his part the Parisian lawyer of Stop Amazon, Me Louis Cofflardspecialist in this type of technical file.
File submitted in April 2020
Amazon, through the specialized real estate developer Gazeley, submitted its application to settle in April 2020. Since then, several projects of this type have been abandoned in France, in particular near Nantes, in Alsace or, recently, in Fournès (Gard) following the mobilization of opponents.
“I want to be confidentcontinues the mayor of Petit-Couronne. On the other hand, I will be very angry and resentful if the Amazon project in my commune were to fail”.
“The issue of security is no longer relevant”
Also in the sights of Joël Bigot, the Metropolis and the City of Rouen led by the socialist Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol, who voted, in an advisory capacity, against the arrival of Amazon. But these two political entities do not support the appeals of the associations.
“I have very good relations with Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol as long as they respect meemphasizes Joël Bigot. I’m not asking for anything but I remind you that now, the issue of site security is no longer relevant because it has been resolved following the recommendations of the firefighters. This was the main argument of the Métropole which voted against and thus gave an image which saddened me”.
Three hundred thousand parcels a day
A project supported by the prefect of Seine-Maritime who, in March 2021, signed two decrees, including one for operation, thus opening wide the arms to this mega e-commerce warehouse. At the peak of activity (24 hours a day, seven days a week), the American multinational promises to employ more than 1,800 people to process some 300,000 parcels daily.
But for now, it’s a long legal battle that is being played out.
Rouen and its Metropolis remain on their choice
Contacted, the Metropolis of Rouen indicates “that she does not comment on the delays of justice”.
And, regarding the project itself, “The Metropolis and the City of Rouen expressed themselves very clearly on this project following transparent votes at the Metropolitan Council on October 5, 2020 and at the City Council on March 29, 2021. The position remains unchanged”said the press service.
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