Still a few days to reach an agreement, but “the landing strip is clear,” explains a person close to the matter. Discussions have been underway for weeks on the future of the Euratlantic OIN. Launched in 2010, this operation of national interest (OIN) is one of the most ambitious urban development operations in the country: 738 hectares spread across the cities of Bordeaux, Bègles and Floirac.
Objectives: regulate the real estate market; welcome new residents (50,000 in this sector); and nearly 30,000 jobs. The operation co-led by the State, the Metropolis…
Still a few days to reach an agreement, but “the landing strip is clear,” explains a person close to the matter. Discussions have been underway for weeks on the future of the Euratlantic OIN. Launched in 2010, this operation of national interest (OIN) is one of the most ambitious urban development operations in the country: 738 hectares spread across the cities of Bordeaux, Bègles and Floirac.
Objectives: regulate the real estate market; welcome new residents (50,000 in this sector); and nearly 30,000 jobs. The operation co-led by the State, the Metropolis and the municipalities concerned is today in the middle of the ford. The question has never been stop or again. But to learn the lessons of the last thirteen years and adjust the objectives for the next fifteen.
“South West” infographic
Extension until 2040
First decision taken, Euratlantique, which was initially scheduled to end in 2030, will benefit from a ten-year extension. Its term has now been postponed to 2040. A way of adjusting things in the light of feedback from the first phase. We measure the gap between theory and practice and above all the complexity of bringing this type of project to fruition. On the housing side, the objective of 26,000, at the end of 2030, could never have been achieved; in fact 3,000 housing units were delivered at the end of 2022. During its mid-term review last May, Euratlantique management predicted “delivery peaks in the coming years”. However, the role assigned to the OIN seems to be fulfilled: market moderator, the prices of housing offered in the area are lower than other sectors of the city.
“South West” infographic
Update
Of course, over the course of the different episodes, the little music of “Euratlantic bashing” developed. “It’s inevitable, but here we have a project that is thought out, regulated, considered. I want to hear everything but, between what there was before, wastelands as far as the eye can see, and today, it’s day and night. We are building the city of tomorrow, we are adjusting the focus as we go along, it cannot be done in the blink of an eye,” says an elected official preferring to remain anonymous. Because, lately, those involved in the case are walking on eggshells. Close discussions to outline phase 2 are underway.
The objective is to arrive at a new roadmap which will be revealed during the board meeting on November 29. State, Metropolis and cities (Bordeaux, Bègles, Floirac) arrive at the end of the negotiation, which firstly concerns the content. “An ambitious approach to updating its roadmap to allow the operation to continue on the basis of a shared vision,” indicated the prefecture in a press release on Friday November 10.
This second major stage of Euratlantique is placed under the sign of a “sustainable, united and resilient city”. Four objectives are set: “production of affordable housing and urban diversity; ecological and energy transition; design of an inclusive and value-creating city; economic sustainability of the OIN for public finances”.
Between 100 and 150 million euros
And it is this last point on which we must find an agreement. If the OIN is financed by operations carried out within its scope (transfer of land, etc.) the participation of public authorities serves as a safety net. In 2010, 100 million euros were put on the table by the State (35%), the Metropolis (35%), Bordeaux (20%), Bègles (7%) and Floirac (3%). According to our information, all of these players are expected to pay back, in a range between 100 million euros (at a minimum) and 150 million euros.
The prefect of Gironde Étienne Guyot was given a negotiating mandate by the Minister of Housing, who supervises the EPA, in agreement with the Minister of the Budget (Thomas Cazenave). Translation: the State will engage in this second round of funding. How high ? This is the subject of the coming days. The communities display the same predispositions, they are in line to finance this new Euratlantic sequence. Now it’s a matter of finding the right distribution key. If it is difficult to compare these two envelopes (past and future projects will be of different nature), this collective commitment is a strong sign, which intends to breathe new life into Euratlantique: accessibility of housing, diversity, services to the population, adaptation to global warming, re -nature. Topics that have risen to priority since 2010.
