Urban agro farm project in Bordeblanche: for the city of Toulouse it’s always “no”
This Monday, the City of Toulouse reaffirmed its refusal of an agro-urban farm on the wasteland of Bordeblanche in the Pradettes district.
On April 14, the municipality had answered “no” for the first time to the agro-urban farm project in Bordeblanche in the Pradettes district of Toulouse. “Following this response, on April 27, the Nature-Pradettes association sent a letter to the Municipality to try to change its position,” said Philippe Lebailly, co-president of the Nature-Pradettes collective. On May 5, at the initiative of the collective of the Alternatiba* movement, a second open letter signed by 25 collectives and associations asked the mayor of Toulouse to “reopen the path of dialogue and reason”. This Monday, the City reaffirms its position: it is not following up on this project. And explains: “This collective had 18 months to build and present a viable and financed file, estimates the City. It was not the case. The Collectivity has therefore decided not to pursue this project and will not reconsider this decision. As a reminder, during this period, the construction of housing and public facilities planned and agreed with local residents, was interrupted. In addition, the collective refused a proposal for support on another property.
“this project was not read correctly by these elected officials”
However, Philippe Lebailly, co-president of the Nature association, remains on his position and affirms that this project was not read correctly by the elected officials: “During our meeting of April 8, with these five elected officials, several examples attest to this situation, he said. For example, they discovered the name of the Hundredth Monkey organization, which specializes in setting up farmers, although it was mentioned in our file. Another example: in their response of April 14, the elected officials pointed out the absence of a budget for this project. Or our file notifies a very balanced budget allowing the investments necessary for the installation of this farm. Finally, the site chosen for the Bordeblanche wasteland is not a “position of opposition” but a well-considered argument linked to the maintenance of an island of freshness in this district, with an area of 10,000 m2 necessary for the viability of this farm and finally of a complementarity between the three poles of the project (farm, educational garden and shared garden, already installed in Bordeblanche)”. Finally, the last point raised by the Nature association: the City’s request for 3.8 million euros for the purchase of the land, “a request deemed discriminating and unprecedented on the part of a municipality for such a farm project urban”. Faced with the City’s categorical refusal, the collective specifies that a symbolic action will be carried out on May 22 at Les Pradettes.
*Climate and Social Justice Movement