Volt Lille opposes the city's new consultation on construction
Volt Lille opposes the city's new consultation on construction
> No Cemetery Square, no Citadelle business park! These two new building projects do not meet the needs and aspirations of the people of Lille.
> Volt denounces the modalities of this consultation, designed to force the inhabitants to choose between two evils, by sacrificing one of the last green oases of the city, and essential pillars of Lille's candidature for the title of European Green Capital.
> Volt points out that the absence of local residents on the two plots of land will have the natural effect of reducing the level of participation, even though such consultation is crucial for the future of the town.
Lille, 1st of April 2023
Volt Lille has become aware of a new citizen consultation currently being prepared by the Lille City Council. This project was leaked by hackers who have been holding the city's computer system hostage for several weeks and proposes to let citizens choose which of the few remaining green areas in the city will be sacrificed for the latest large-scale construction projects.
The Citadelle Business Park
The "Zone d'Activité Citadelle" plans to raze the Parc de la Citadelle and install a vast area for logistics companies. With the existing infrastructures - thousands of parking spaces on the Champ de Mars, the future tramway, the passage of the Seine Nord Europe Canal - the city plans to transform this green lung into a beating heart of industrial activity. Volt denounces the lack of transparency on the part of the city regarding the planning, especially since the city's renunciation of its candidacy for the classification of its citadel as a Unesco World Heritage Site. We fear that the Citadel Business Park project will be one of many pharaonic construction projects of a bygone era.
The cemetary Square
On the other side of the city, the development of Euralille and the construction of the Square Métropolitain are also paving the way for a second landmark in the area: the Square Cimetière - a vast complex of high-end offices built above the cemetery. Although the land has been occupied for over 300 years - it is one of the oldest Zacs in the North - the city sees the development of the Square as an essential complement to the ongoing development of Euralille as the main office hub between Brussels, London and Paris. Volt also denounces this ambition of the city, which only increases the real estate pressure - and this time not only on living people.
We love participatory democracy
In a participatory democracy approach, the city is proposing a new consultation on unsustainable construction and is letting its inhabitants decide - a priori the local residents - whether they prefer one or the other project. The territory of the city of Lille does not offer much land suitable for large-scale constrction with small-scale sustainablility ambitions. We therefore denounce the decision to let the people of Lille choose between two bad proposals and ask that the consultation be cancelled.
Sven Franck, team leader of Volt Lille: "We already live in a city with forests in pots. Saint-Sauveur, the Churchill meadow and now the Citadelle and the cemetery? Nothing is sacred? I understand the need to build at all costs, but when the whole world is already defending sustainable construction and the development of existing infrastructures, what kind of city do we want to leave to future generations? And the Greens? Today we have a moment to reflect thanks to the ongoing cyber attack. Perhaps this is an opportunity to bury these two projects and the consultation. That would be better.
Volt Lille has created a dedicated site for its opposition to these new construction projects available at www.nini-lille.fr.
About Volt
As the first truly pan-European party, Volt is committed to reforming the European Union and responding to today's challenges in a coordinated way at European level. Volt's vision: a progressive Europe with an inclusive society, a climate-friendly economy, an adaptable education system and self-determined digitalisation.
Volt is convinced that only the democratic participation of all European citizens will prepare us for a sustainable, economically strong and socially just future. This is why Volt acts at all levels - from local to European, as a movement and as a party. The movement gives everyone a voice and the opportunity to engage politically from within society. Today, Volt is present all over Europe: thousands of people of all ages and professions are involved in 30 European countries with teams in hundreds of cities.
For interview requests or further information, please contact us at the following address :
Contact
Sven Franck - Co-President de Volt France
Mail : sven.franck@volteuropa.org
Zoé Gadeyne - Co-Responsable Communication
Mail : zoe.gadeyne@volteuropa.org
Site web | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Updated on March 25th.