DIJON: François Rebsamen clarifies his proposals for the future of the Lentillères vegetable garden
This Monday, March 21, the mayor of Dijon launched “a call for negotiation” towards the illegal occupants of the Lentillères land. The abandonment of phase II of the Jardin des Maraîchers real estate project represents a shortfall of 8 million euros for the community.
In 2010, a wasteland in the former Dijon slaughterhouse district was illegally taken over by anarchist and environmental activists to turn it into a “collective vegetable garden” as well as a place of urban resistance to a real estate project, the Jardin des Market gardeners.
Since then, the semi-urban, semi-agricultural squat has been the subject of tension between anti-capitalist activists and the majority of François Rebsamen (PS), mayor of Dijon. The first candidates for the urbanization policy of the Socialist elected representative, the second highlighting the need to build new housing as well as the potential pollution of land that has been subject in the past to the spreading of sludge that may contain heavy metals.
“A market gardening area but not a slum”
This Monday, March 21, 2022, during a municipal council, François Rebsamen clarified his proposal to transform the squatted site into an urbanized part and a part dedicated to market gardening as part of the food strategy of the City of Dijon.
“The construction project is maintained on a construction strip of the Guynemer mall”, announces François Rebsamen before the municipal assembly. “The Lentillères must become for the vast majority of the 8.7 hectares a market gardening area but not a slum, that’s enough.”
A shortfall of 8 million euros for the City of Dijon
“We have an ambition”, launched the mayor, “we want this place to participate in the territorial food strategy carried out by the Metropolis and the City of Dijon, the investment is very important for the community”.
In 2019, François Rebsamen announced the abandonment of phase II of the Jardin des Maraîchers. However, part of the site will be built along the current Guynemer mall, on approximately 20% of the 8.7 hectares currently fallow.
To date, the results of the abandonment of this phase II represent a shortfall of 8 million euros for the City of Dijon between the loss of revenue linked to the absence of construction, the absence of road costs and the purchase of the land from the developer SPLAAD and the corresponding local public land establishment. The invoice could be increased by the possible developments of the site.
“Make a place of awareness on sustainable food”
“This space will be open to all residents of Dijon. We do not want a closed, barricaded place, with three controlled entry points”, slipped François Rebsamen before specifying his objective: “we want to make a place of experimentation in terms of urban agriculture and a place of citizen reflection around urban agriculture, a place of awareness on sustainable food, a place of solidarity vector of the most sustainable food possible accessible to all, a place of culture in every sense of the word”.
A project “respecting the law”
“A project of general interest, certainly alternative but respectful of the law”, a summary of the elected socialist. On the sidelines of the city council, François Rebsamen indicated that he was ready to revise the PLUi-HD, “if things go well”.
During the meeting, an email address is even indicated to allow people to make themselves known to contract a lease in order to access a plot of land for a symbolic euro: [email protected]
The approach is open to current occupants of the site provided they agree to enter into the legal framework set by the community.
“The issue is on the side of public opinion, we want to convince people of our will”, then explained the first city councilor, “if it is cultivable land, it is land to be cultivated, not land where we drop off caravans and where we live at the same time”. And to conclude by addressing the squatter gardeners from a distance: “it’s a call for negotiation”.
Jean-Christophe Tardivon