The construction of this vast real estate program, in place of the resort’s former casino, began at the end of September. A lost fight for the detractors of the project.
At the end of last July, the appeals brought to suspend the project were rejected by the administrative court of Montpellier… A few months later, the Archipelago is now partly out of the ground.
In Valras-Plage, on the seafront, a few tens of meters from the parasols and colorful towels, the cranes have taken their place and are sweeping the blue sky of an early summer. The Capri building and its three floors face the beach: this is the first part of the vast Archipel real estate program, carried out by the Nemesis promotion (Necmi Arikan, Béziers) and Aeko (François Aznar, Lattes) groups.
Just behind, in place of the old casino, which has been completely razed, a huge construction site is underway, that of the two other buildings planned, Panarea and Lipari: i.e. 10,000 m² of floor space in total and up to 35 meters high (R+9).
“We are satisfied”
On the progress of the work, the promoters do not really wish to communicate. Regarding the ten shops open year-round, on the ground floor, “lots are reserved”, we explain at Aeko. For the senior residence – 120 apartments in the Lipari building – the opening for rental will not take place before 2023, while delivery is scheduled for early 2024.
Few comments from Mayor Daniel Ballester, either: “We are satisfied”he said, however, with regard to the realization of the Archipelago.
It must be said that the outcry aroused by the program remains in the memories. The “Collective for the protection of the Valras, Sérignan Vendres coastline” created by the Valrassienne Brigitte Banégas, and which was at the origin of the appeals, continues to campaign on Facebook despite everything…
In July 2021, “we were out of time with the administrative court of Montpellier”, explains Brigitte Banégas. Despite the rejection of the suspensive summary, “we maintained our request to the administrative court of Montpellier and we added a graceful appeal for fraud with the town hall” tackling the two building permits.
“Because they split the permit in two to avoid the public inquiry when there is only one and the same project with an architect and a promoter. The two permits exceeding 10,000 m², they were obliged to do a public inquiry…”
“It was David against Goliath”
But on September 15, 2021, the companies Aeko Promotion and Archipel, through their lawyer, threatened to demand more than €300,000 for the costs generated and the damage suffered due to “abuse of the right to go to court”, that is to say abusive recourses in a way. The applicants – they were several citizens engaged in the procedure – decide to withdraw. “We couldn’t take the risk of losing. It was David against Goliath. The sinews of war was money”regrets Brigitte Banégas.
La Valrassienne continues to follow the file: “They removed a whole floor, the 500 m² of offices.” “The project remains awful, it remains the same, it’s not a victory, we just annoyed them.”
In exchange for the reimbursement of repeat costs (procedure costs paid to the opposing party) up to €3,000, a protocol nevertheless proposed to the applicants to undertake not to bring any further appeal… Impossible to sign for Brigitte Banegas: “It is forbidden to be bayoneted!”
On the seafront, she observes the successful construction of the first building, Capri: “It’s terrible, the artificialization of the soil, everything is concrete.”
A senior service residence
As a reminder, the Archipel real estate program, which wants to offer a certain standard, includes three buildings. The first, Capri, on the seafront, with three floors, will soon host 28 apartments from T2 to T4.
Behind, two buildings are under construction, the first with nine floors, provides 50 housing units, the second, a little lower, will be reserved for a senior service residence with 120 rental units.
“It is a residence with a common room to accommodate services (care, beauty, hairdressing, etc.) with an associative mode of operation”, explains the company Akeo. Outside, a vegetable garden to share will also be laid out. Opening of rentals not before 2023.
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