Toulouse: TBS construction site, Place de l’Europe, Grand Canal Park, how the Compans district is changing
The 71st neighborhood day of the mayor of Toulouse will take place on Wednesday October 5 in Compans-Caffarelli and Amidonniers. A green and residential area, which is slowly but surely becoming denser, especially on the Compans side. Mobility is at the center of the debates.
Both green and congested, shopping and sports, residential and student… This is how the neighborhood of Compans Caffarelli and Amidonniers is defined. A fairly sparse set compared to the districts of the hypercentre (83 inhabitants per hectare on average, against 150 in the Chalets) but above the Toulouse average (41 inhabitants per hectare).
A much lower density than in the hypercentre
Endowed with a green lung with the Compans Caffarelli garden, greenways with the Brienne canal and the Garonne dykes, the district remains one of the most congested at peak times, with the belt of the Pont des Catalans and the Lascrosses Blvd.
Rather well equipped with public transport, with the metro line B, its transformation in favor of active modes such as cycling, late a little on the side of avenue Séjourné.
Traffic: traffic congestion persists, cycling is progressing
The Express Bike Network, which was to benefit from a dedicated lane on the service roads, has been challenged. It develops, on the other hand, on the boulevard de la Marquette. Rue des Amidonniers has become a cycle street, with priority of passage for bicycles over cars.
Residential and rather suburban, the district is changing. This makes its residents tremble, with large-scale real estate projects, which are scary for the fluidity of traffic.
Buildings are gradually eating away at single-family homes
Rue du Béarnais, a building has taken the place of individual houses. Rue Brouardel, the same. The Waterways of France project on the Filter Basin is also being carefully scrutinized. The future Toulouse Business School campus, which will take the place of the Petit Palais des Sports, is one of the most feared.
“We are still waiting for answers on how thousands of people will live together every day,” admits Nicole Pfluger, from the Canon d’Arcole, Béarnais, Brouardel, Europe (Acabbe) neighborhood association.
The major construction site of the Toulouse Business School worries local residents
“Many consultation meetings have taken place. The reflection on the relocation of the sports clubs housed at the Petit Palais des Sports is continuing. The hypothesis of the former Exhibition Center is being studied”, specifies the district mayor, Ghislaine Delmond.
On the nearby Place de l’Europe, transformed, new buildings have been built, including the concept combining a hotel and high-end student residence (see below), but also the Ynov digital school.
The consultation is open concerning the future Brienne Saint-Pierre forecourt
Another major project in the district, the Grand parc canal, the first progress of which will concern the Brienne Saint-Pierre square, at the corner of boulevard Duportal and the allées de Barcelone.
“The project was launched through consultation on the Jeparticipe.toulouse.fr platform,” explains Ghislaine Delmond. A firm has made development proposals, now it’s up to the people of Toulouse to give their opinion”.
Ghislaine Delmond, district mayor: “We are very vigilant about noise pollution”
How would you describe your neighborhood?
It is made up of two quite different sets, between Compans-Caffarelli which is a neighborhood of housing, but also of services and leisure, with the shopping center, the sports hall, the garden; and on the other side the Amidonniers, residential area and edge of the Garonne. It is a green district, which benefits from 24% plant cover, compared to an average of 19% in the city of Toulouse.
What are its major developments?
The major projects in the district are on the Place de l’Europe, with the hotel and student residence, the digital school which have opened their doors; the future Toulouse Business School campus, for which the building permit has just been granted; in the longer term, a project in the Engie space, between rue du Béarnais and rue de Sébastopol, will further structure the district.
The subject of mobility often comes up at the center of discussions, especially for local residents, who sees new projects emerging from the ground?
The district is rather well endowed with public transport, we have the metro, 19 bus stations, 17 bicycle stations. For each new structuring project, we organize consultation meetings. We are also developing the fluidity of travel, in particular thanks to active modes of travel. For example, a new cycle path has been created on the Séjourné bridge. The reflection continues its course concerning the express bike network.
Regarding safety and noise pollution, what are the issues?
In connection with my colleague in charge of security, we make sure to listen to the grievances of the inhabitants. For example, for the new convivial place at the Saint-Pierre lock, we are very vigilant about the tranquility of local residents. The sound insulation of the building not being sufficient, we asked for the greatest vigilance.