Why the highly contested thousand-housing project at Coteau de Malbosc, northwest of Montpellier, has been abandoned

Le haut du coteau sera préservé. Midi Libre – JEAN-MICHEL MART

Dans le Plan local d’urbanisme intercommunal (PLUI), seuls 150 à 250 logements sont mentionnés, ainsi que l’artificialisation partielle du parc Henri Lagatu, qui reste classé "à urbaniser".

Spread over 26 hectares, the Coteau de Malbosc is a green lung north of Montpellier. For nearly thirteen years, it has regularly been the subject of urban development projects. The latest, called ZAC du Coteau, planned to build a thousand homes there.
But on August 14, members of the Coteau de Malbosc Collective discovered that this ZAC was no longer mentioned in the draft Intercommunal Local Urban Planning Plan (PLUi) of the Métropole. It is replaced by the Henri Lagatu park, on an area of ​​19.8 hectares.

“The mobilization has paid off, rejoices Pierre Deltour, member of the animation committee of the Collective. We launched two petitions which collected 7,340 signatures. We have repeatedly called on Michaël Delafosse and insisted on the need for natural areas in the northwest of the city, which is sufficiently urbanized in our opinion."

The objective of zero net artificialization (ZAN) by 2050, set out in the Climate and Resilience Law, and aimed at halving the consumption of natural spaces by 2030, has it played a role in this turnaround??

The fact remains that if there is a victory, the Collective believes that it is not complete. “The Henri Lagatu park is in fact classified as UA (« to be urbanized») in the draft PLUI regulations", deplores Pierre Deltour.

Michaël Delafosse: “We had to respond to a double challenge”

Why did you abandon the 1,000-home project??

In the spring, we discussed this issue at length with the Collectif du Coteau de Malbosc, the Collectif Ravas, the neighborhood committee, etc. We had started with a ZAC (concerted development zone), but it was not satisfactory. It seemed essential to us to start with a new project that would address a dual challenge: reducing land take and housing, particularly for employees. As for the building, it seemed appropriate to us to build near the Jean-Monnet high school and the tramway.

And as for the natural spaces?

There will be no construction on the upper part of the hillside. We must preserve Lagatut Street and its surroundings. We are not going to touch this historical heritage. This space is intended to become a place of leisure open to all. If we want to work on creating places for living together, this is the place. The site could also accommodate sports facilities that can create links, but it will not be to put a very imposing building there. It could finally be a place for understanding life. Why not build an observation tower there, for example?? What is certain is that we will make this area one of the best for biodiversity.

Its location to the northwest of the city makes it a special site?

Yes. With the renovation of the Mosson, the Celleneuve reconquest plan, the work that we are going to carry out on the Aqueduct path, this makes it a priority axis. I would like to point out that, as with the Agriparc des Bouisses, we will work in consultation. And at the end of the discussion phase, I will write to the residents of the district to clarify the project.

Why leave Henri Lagatu Park in the  "AU" ("to be urbanized") category ?

Because this will allow us to carry out projects there. If we put it in a natural zone «N», we won't be able to do anything there, not even a small open-air theater.

What is the timetable for the Intercommunal Local Urban Planning Plan (PLUI) ?

The Vice-President of the Metropolis, Stéphane Champay, is currently doing a lot of work. The goal is for this PLUI to be voted on by the Metropolis Council next October.

The “fear” of a sports complex on the site

“This means that it could be modified to make it buildable in five years. This is incompatible with “one of the ambitions for the future of the site (which) is to preserve as much as possible the existing natural spaces, plant structures and biodiversity”.”

But another objective stated in the PLUI for this area “is to offer new facilities for all the inhabitants of the northwest of Montpellier”.

The Collective fears in particular the creation of a “real sports area of ​​scale”, as had been announced in the municipal council.

Other "fear": 6.2 hectares of the former Zac du Coteau were transferred "into an OAP (Development and programming orientation) Jean Monnet district, planning the construction of 150 to 250 housing units, notes the Collective. The document indicates that 30% of the surface area must remain permeable, which therefore authorizes 4.3 ha artificialization."

Finally, "uncertainties" remain regarding the future Henri Lagatu Park. "It is indicated that 80% of the surface will have to remain permeable, or nearly 4 ha of artificialization." A figure that remains to be specified.

According to the Collective, which met with the mayor on May 23, "the municipality should initiate a consultation process to define the configuration to come from the Coteau and the necessary arrangements."

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