Grand Paris-Nord hospital project: the declaration of public utility canceled by the administrative court

The administrative court of Montreuil (Seine-Saint-Denis) on Monday canceled the declaration of public utility of the future Grand Paris-Nord hospital, considering that "the disadvantages of the operation outweighed its advantages", in a decision communicated to AFP. "The operation, the configuration of which does not allow for future developments, led to an uncompensated reduction in the supply of care in a territory already suffering from significant health inequalities", writes the court in a press release, following the opinion of the public rapporteur delivered at the end of June.

“The court noted that the operation led to a reduction, on a like-for-like basis, of the number of hospital beds from 1,131 to 941, the number of outpatient places from 207 to 173 and the number of births that could be accommodated from 3,238 to 2000”, specify the judges. With an estimated cost of 1.3 billion euros, this major project carried out by the AP-HP (Assistance publique - Hôpitaux de Paris) and the University of Paris Cité is to replace the current Bichat hospitals in Paris and Beaujon. in Clichy (Hauts-de-Seine).

Covering the north of Paris, part of Hauts-de-Seine and Seine-Saint-Denis, it must also house teaching and research activities. It was to see the light of day by 2028. To be validated, a new revised project must be presented, which would give rise to a new declaration of public utility.

The administrative justice was seized of an appeal by local residents and unions of caregivers, who consider the Grand Paris-Nord hospital undersized in relation to the health needs of the area covered, called to experience population growth. According to the AP-HP, in charge of the project, the level of care, in terms of quality and quantity, was however at least maintained thanks to several devices (hotel beds, improvement of the outpatient turnover rate, reorientation of parturients towards other maternities...).

During the hearing at the end of June, the AP-HP had called on the judges not to focus solely on the capacity of the healthcare offer but to also take into account the other advantages of the project: modernization of infrastructures, synergies, assessment improved environment. The court, however, considered that “the disadvantages of the operation outweighed its advantages”.