It is a highly contested project in Lezay, in Deux-Sèvres. A biogas plant could soon see the light of day in a protected natural area, near the town. Nonsense for local residents, environmental associations and even the town hall. All have filed an appeal to oppose the project, yet validated by the prefecture. They hope to move or abandon the construction.
“It has no interest for the municipality. In Lezay, we heat with wood, we have no gas network. So the gas that will be produced here, in the Natura 2000 zone, the goal will be to take it via a 12 km gas pipeline to Saint-Léger-la-Martinière. It makes no sense to locate it here, when we are in a protected area.” President of the Lezay Natura 2000 association, Florent Blanchard is at the head of the opponents of the pproject for a biogas plant on the Mellois plateau, intended to produce biomethane. A project led by an agricultural cooperative, the CEA, which has 450 members located in the north-eastern Charente-Maritime and southern Deux-Sèvres area.
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Arable farmer, Florent Blanchard could have considered this project as a potential new outlet for his production, but decidedly not, the damages are too numerous. Planned on the protection zone of little bustard, endangered species, these three methanization units 12 m high, would also be less than 200 m from the nearest dwellings. Noise, visual and olfactory nuisances, the inhabitants also fear a loss of 20% of the value of their real estate.
Local residents oppose the biogas plant project • © Stéphanie Schories-France 3 Poitou-Charentes
The prefecture of Deux-Sèvres authorized the establishment of the factory, despite the unfavorable opinion of the town hall of Lezay.
More moderate than his constituents, Mayor Olivier Gayet wants mediation with the State services and the project leader, which would make it possible to find “another location, which would not impact local residents or the environment“.
On his side, the Technic Biogaz company, which is to carry out the project, claims to comply with the regulations. Its communication officer Laura Guenin specifies that “public meetings to explain the project to the population took place. I understand that this is not enough, but we are open to explaining the project, to demonstrating pedagogy“.
The opponents filed an appeal against this building permit before the administrative court of Poitiers.
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