A project of sorting centre, Amazon is close to the Pont-du-Gard divisive

"Scandal" to some, "economic jackpot" for others: the implementation project of a huge sorting center Amazon where to turn more than 500 trucks per day near the Pont-du-Gard, a masterpiece of world heritage, deeply divided positions on elected officials and residents of this tourist area.

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It is located along the A9 motorway, between Italy and Spain, that the Argan obtained at the end of 2019 the building permit of the city council of Fournès (1100 inhabitants) and the environmental authorization of the prefect of the Gard to build a warehouse of 38,000 m2 over 14 hectares. In the public inquiry and official documents, the american giant of online commerce is never named. But no doubt remains: this is Amazon's issue.

the origin of the controversy, some of the inhabitants of Fournès hear for the first time to talk about a "house trucks" the end of 2018, " says Patrick Genay, beekeeper and a member of the citizen Forum against the project. "In fact, it was two years since the plans were on the whole opacity", he laments.

"The project evolved into the sly, away from the population concerned", adds Patrick Fertil, the association Adere (Association for the development of the employment in respect of the environment).

CV already prepared

on The side of its supporters, including the prefecture, the town hall of Fournès or even to the Community of 17 communes of Pont-du-Gard, one puts in before the 150 to 200 jobs created and the tax revenues that will be generated by an intercommunal cooperation that has lost the manna of the thermal power plant EDF of Aramon, closed in 2016.

"The implementation of Amazon is an economic jackpot which will find a part of the jobs lost in recent decades," wants to believe Sylvie, 47-year-old resident of a nearby village who prefers to conceal his name but has "already prepared his CV". "The location, near the A9, allows you to significantly limit the impacts in the environmental, agricultural and landscaping on the surrounding villages," says of his side in a motion of support to elected officers of Fournès the Community of communes outgoing.

The site selected by the american giant is located on the town of Fournès, on the road which connects the A9 to the site of the Unesco. Capture google earth

number of arguments far from convincing opponents up. At the heart of the criticism, the practices of the multinational company of Jeff Bezos -which is often accused by his opponents of tax evasion, land speculation, or to weaken local businesses and promote precarious employment, but also its environmental impact: destruction of biodiversity, air pollution, noise and visual.

jobs? "A mirage", accuses Mr. Fertil, ensuring that the promise has melted away over the months from 600 to 150 in "precarious" employment.

The environmental impact? The project is "outrageous", taclaient in a recent report by Friends of the Earth, the confederation of traders of France and the Adere, and it "poses a direct threat to the landscapes, sites and heritage, foundations of the cultural attraction and international tourist in the territory".

Contacted by AFP, Argan, called it "a Trojan horse for Amazon," or "bétonneur XXL" by opponents of the project, has not desired to make any comment, either to confirm the identity of his client, controversial.

Without confirming to AFP his desire to implant in Fournès, Amazon has set forward on a general plan for a "harmonious integration in the territories", "taking care to preserve the environment" and pointed out to be the origin of more than 30,000 direct and indirect jobs in France.

11 appeals and a complaint

Equivalent to a huge five-story building, the sorting centre of the american giant is supposed to come out of the earth a few kilometres away the Pont-du-Gard, raising fears that it may not be the first and last image that would be its millions of visitors.

The project has caused locally strong discord between elected officials, but also among wine growers in this area of the AOC Côtes-du-Rhône and the anxiety of some owners and real estate agents concerning a possible loss of attractiveness for the very chic and very expensive region of Uzes, about twenty kilometres from the site.

Eleven appeals were filed against the building permit, indicated to the AFP the administrative court of Nîmes. A criminal complaint is also being studied in the judicial court of Nîmes concerning possible conflicts of interests of elected members of Fournès, including the former and current municipal official, on the sale of land.

sponsors expect for their part that the actions be "purged" to resume the work interrupted at the stage of "brushing". The construction of such warehouse takes 10 to 12 months.

For their part, the Confederation of Traders of France, Friends of the Earth France and the association Adere called on the government "an immediate moratorium on all projects for storage of the e-commerce and commercial areas in the periphery".

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Locally, opponents ensure that they do not "sustain nothing". In 2017, a project of the villages of marks had already been retoqué on the same site.

No commentaireSaya cantikle 05/06/2020 19:27

One-sided article. The "journalist" who wrote this paper should not often stir behind her. Make the information with anything it is a fake, no ?

Hérétiquele 05/06/2020 19:26

France lack a law of buffer zone of a certain radius around all the historical monuments.

fed up detoutle 05/06/2020 19:00

The pont du Gard, there really is, in any case, the highway one does not see it.. A bunch of stones with no interest. Amazon, jobs, the choice is quickly made well done.

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