Where is the Grand Matabiau?
Project initiated in the early 2010s then recognized as being of public utility in 2019, the Grand Matabiau district, the future business district of the city of Toulouse, gives no more news. Finally, what about this ambitious project?
In their quest to want to make Toulouse a city of substantial scope, Jean-Luc Moudenc and his teams have theorized an ambitious project: the Grand Matabiau Quai d’Oc.
This project would see the creation of a brand new business district accompanied by numerous residences, but also and above all a huge tower 153.5 meters high which would overlook the neighborhood and the city.
A controversial project
Although ambitious and having won numerous awards, particularly in connection with sustainable development in urban areas, Grand Matabiau is nonetheless subject to controversy. All around the station, epicenter of the project, are the Bonnefoy, Matabiau, Marengo and Jolimont districts, relatively working-class and residential districts. And it is for this reason that the shoe pinches.
Indeed, in wanting to build a business and residential district, an upscale district in short, on the basis of popular housing, many businesses plan to close, families to move. Rents and local taxes likely to increase would accelerate anyone who lived in these neighborhoods before the works to reside there again.
In addition to this forced gentrification, the new district is accused, by the Toulouse opposition, of being the very figure of the greenwashing. This accusation responds to the town hall’s desire to make Grand Matabiau a candidate for the various eco-district labels. In addition, the Tour Occitanie is presented by its detractors as energy-intensive since it will be necessary to supply the some 11,000 m2 reserved for offices, the 100 housing units, the 7,000 m2 of the Hilton hotel, the 2,000 m2 shared between the various shops and the last 1,500 meters which will be used by the SNCF.
Beyond the energy aspect, another aspect of the Tower does not only make people happy. This overabundance of offices is strongly criticized since not only do they consume residential space, but also and above all, the city of Toulouse has a very large number of unused offices.
Finally, this same tower could be a phenomenon of visual pollution and by its height, could greatly impact the aerial ecosystem.
Where are the works?
Despite these controversies, the Grand Matabiau Quai d’Oc project should see the light of day. However, while the hoped-for optimists saw the start of work at the end of 2021 for the Occitanie Tower, headwinds have postponed this start to an as yet undetermined date. Although the Covid-19 pandemic has added its two cents to it, the report of this date is partly due to inflation but also and above all to the very many appeals filed against this project. Since the announcement of the project, many opponents, whether local residents, environmental activists, associations, etc. again and again file appeals (mostly refused) in order to derail the project.
Regarding the works, they have started well in the neighborhood, in particular on the avenue de Lyon (which runs along the Canal du Midi), the bottom of the Bonnefoy district is only composed of piles and rubbish of destroyed buildings. .
Finally, the Grand Matabiau Quai d’Oc project is closely linked to the Bordeaux-Toulouse High Speed Line which could allow the inhabitants of the Ville Rose to reach the French capital in 3 hours compared to 4:20 currently. This other project (which also has its share of controversy) should see the light of day in 2030, like the new Matabiau district, after having been postponed time and time again.
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