"Darnétal loses its soul": they mobilize against massive urbanization

Through Isabelle Villy
Published on 6 Feb 21 at 14:16

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Residents of Darnétal observe a rampant urbanization that they consider not respectful of the environment and the quality of life, as for example behind the church and the Carville tower, where new constructions are erected in place of the presbytery which was destroyed. (© Isabelle Villy)

Inhabitants of Darnétal, near Rouen (Seine-Maritime) have launched a petition to Mayor Christian Lecerf: they want theurbanisation massive of the city and demand the creation of a citizen convention, like a Bois-Guillaume.

“Stop concrete and the massive urbanization of Darnétal”: this is the slogan of the petition that the inhabitants of Darnétal have just launched, whether or not they live near real estate projects which, according to them, degrade the quality of life and have an impact on both the environment and the city’s heritage. To try to stop this trend, the petitioners urge the mayor to create in particular “a citizens’ convention on town planning, modeled on the initiative of Bois-Guillaume”. But this is not their only claim.

The presbytery razed for construction

They arranged to meet us near the church and the Carville tower… Where previously the presbytery was, behind the two buildings. The latter was razed to make way for a construction project, to the chagrin of the Darnétalais who believe that it is once again a part of the history of their city that is disappearing. “We do not understand why such projects are authorized within the perimeter of the church and the tower, whereas we ourselves, when we want to do work at home, we must respect the choice of certain materials, colors … not to mention the trees that were felled in the courtyard of the presbytery, ”wonders a Darnétalaise.

GRDF industrial wasteland: the project on stand-by

Words that François Robin shares, he who lives a few steps away … very close to an industrial wasteland (a site formerly operated by GRDF) promised to a real estate complex built by Vinci and which provides for the construction of 58 housing units on a site of 5 000 m². A project currently on stand-by, for lack of having (for the moment!) Obtained favorable opinions but for the Darnétalais, this project is revealing of what is currently happening in the city. “We sold dreams with a view of Rouen to people who live on the site of the former Rousseau college … and today, they have seen other buildings”, cites François Robin as an example, worried about growing all over town new constructions.

Building permit: “The mayor remains the decision maker”

“The land development policy to constantly increase the population is not a solution for the well-being of the Darnétalais”, continues François Robin who asks the mayor, via the petition, “to immediately stop the issuance of permits for demolish, stopping the issuance of multi-housing building permits ”and which reminds the elected official, with regard to building permits, that he“ remains the decision-maker ”in the matter.

Unsuitable road infrastructure

Beyond the degradation of the quality of life, the initiators of the petition point to several major drawbacks linked to massive urbanization. “The road infrastructure is not calibrated to accommodate more people: two unique axes allow us to reach Rouen, namely the ring road and the Rouen road”, argues François Robin who also notes that the public transport lines are they also stuck in traffic jams at rush hour, difficult to encourage users to use them on a daily basis.

Parking lot already saturated

Another element of importance according to the petitioners: parking and car parks, already “saturated” and which generate “neighborhood tensions”. However, François Robin points out that recent regulations “restrict the number of parking spaces in buildings, when one is less than 500 meters from a train station or a public transport station”. The question then arises of the number of vehicles available to the future inhabitants of the constructions in progress and of the place where they can park …

Create a historical or remarkable heritage of the darnétalais; request an urgent revision of the PLUi (Plan Local d’Urbanisme intercommunal) so that the height of buildings is reduced, develop green spaces and wetlands to promote biodiversity and provide a pleasant living environment for the inhabitants; ensure that promoters take into account the metropolitan area’s urban-cycling charter “with the establishment of a policy promoting the use of bicycles for urban journeys” … such are the requests formulated by the petitioners, in addition the creation of a citizens’ convention.