New legal twist in Center Parcs plan
Campaigners to appeal judge’s decision allowing destruction of protected habitats, despite second ruling suspending work
A CONTROVERSIAL planned development in the Isère is set for a convoluted new legal twist after environmental campaigners said yesterday they will go to the Conseil D’Etat to appeal against a judge’s ruling that a decree allowing the scheme to go ahead is lawful.
The appeal comes even though the same judge decided there were doubts over the legality of a second decree issued by local officials.
Construction had been due to start on the planned Center Parcs holiday village in Chambaran forest in 2014, but ongoing protests and disputes mean it has not yet begun.
A judge at the Administrative Court of Grenoble ruled that a decree issued by local officials under the Water Act on October 3 was legally unsound. His decision was based on the fact that the project should have been referred to the National Commission for public debate because its total cost exceeded €300million.
In a statement, the tribunal said: "[The judge] took into account the cost of the project as a whole and not just one of the only work authorised under the Water Act" .
That decision was enough to prevent land clearance work prior to the construction of a 200-hectare tourist complex encroaching on vast wetlands featuring 1,000 holiday cottages, shops and restaurants surrounding a massive heated pool under a bubble dome.
It could host 5,600 visitors at a time and, provide nearly 700 jobs.
But the judge also ruled that a second decree, issued on October 16, that allowed for the destruction of protected wildlife habitats was legally sound.
Pierre & Vacances-Center Parcs announced its intention to appeal against the suspension of the October 3 decree. It later said it would be willing to adapt its plans.
Yesterday, environmental campaigners announced their response by revealing they intended to appeal against the judge’s second ruling. They argued that the court had ignored “a number of damning facts” about the development’s impact on ecology of the region.
It is the latest obstacle to the planned development which had - briefly - been given the go-ahead after being postponed several times since 2007.
