A label to relaunch the industrial future of the former ArcelorMittal site in Laudun-l’Ardoise

L’ancien site d’Arcelor-Mittal de l’Ardoise devenu une friche industrielle. Midi Libre – MIKAEL ANISSET

La friche industrielle de l’ex-site d’ArcelorMittal à Laudun-l’Ardoise est le seul secteur gardois retenu dans la liste de 55 lauréats labellisés "Sites Clés en main France 2030".

This is a new page that will be written in the industrial saga of the ArcelorMittal site in Laudun-l’Ardoise, which has been in cessation of activity since 2004. The former steel platform is one of the 55 properties which were selected to be labeled "Turnkey sites France 2030". The industrial wasteland of Ardoise is the only Gard winner to appear in the list. The objective now is to launch before the summer of 2024 a call for projects to define the future of this place which is promised a renaissance.

Attract investors

The Site Clés en main France 2030 label allows the Gard Rhone Agglomeration, owner of this slate industrial wasteland of 48 hectares, of which 35 ha can be reused, to commit a land recycling approach for the purposes of reindustrialization. "There are environmental studies to be carried out, we have started them. We have held consultations with businesses and local residents" explains the president of the Agglo Jean-Christian Rey. This system he continues, allows to accelerate the mobilization of quality industrial land and attract potential investors and industrial project leaders".

"Very good news"

The Sites"Turnkey" label is awarded by the State on criteria of ;rsquo;economic attractiveness and in particular the proximity of transport routes. In this regard, the former ArcelorMittal site offers a real opportunity with possible access by rail, waterway and road. The Clés en main site is welcomed with satisfaction by local economic players. "It’is one more tool that we are lucky enough to have" is delighted the president of the Port l’Ardoise association, Thierry Vezinet. "I would tend to say that this is very good news" he underlines. "I hope that this labeling will bring a structuring project to our territory, that is to say employment and a certain dynamic" .

"Fantastic opportunity"

President of the Rhone Gard branch of Gard Entreprise Philippe Broche sees in the label "a fantastic opportunity" for the former ArcelorMittal site " that we are pulled out of the hat after having nevertheless buried it  on the grounds that it y had many constraints which required heavy investments. Thierry Vezinet welcomes the government's desire to reindustrialize France.

"Question of consistency"

The president of Port l’Ardoise welcomes "the spirit of openness and good listening skills" of the prefect of Gard Jérôme Bonet who was visiting Laudun-l’Ardoise in April 2024. "I understood that he was ready to look, to exchange, to facilitate and simplify things." While he welcomes the good dispositions of the prefect, he on the other hand urges the State services to be more consistent.  "At a given moment, we cannot say on the one hand that we want to reindustrialize and on the other hand prohibit building by putting constraints such as the flood risk prevention plan (PPRI). It’s a question of logic".

"We talked about opening up"

Thierry Vezinet says he is relatively reassured by the prefect's visit. "I think he knows our territory. With him we talked about opening up, not closing the railway line", he relates. The president of Port l’Ardoise pleads for "in the next two months, all political actors, active forces, industrialists, associations, the Department and the Region come together. We must unite around a project which cannot be carried out by the Rhone Gard Agglomeration alone" he insists. Philippe Broche, for his part, urges the various protagonists to sit around the table to work and formulate proposals.

Innovation and attractiveness

"The government announcement reinforces the interest in in the Gard territory and à its place as the second regional industrial site" réagit the president of the Agglo Jean-Christian Rey. "She echoes, logically, & the recent labeling of our living area as an Industry Territory, with its some 80 action sheets, alongside the 182 other territories" he adds. For the boss of the EPCI (1) This approach allows the Gard Rhone agglomeration to offer significant land quickly accessible to investors, allowing the establishment of new industrial activities. For the president of the Agglomeration, "it translates this desireé strong, supported by the agglomeration territory project, & decarbonize our activities for neutrality carbon before 2050 and the installation of innovative energy solutions. It’s the translation of the dynamics and attractiveness of of our territory."

1) Épublic establishment of intercommunal cooperation.