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CHÂLONS-EN-CHAMPAGNE / DEVELOPMENT OF THE “RIVE GAUCHE” AREA AS FUTURE TERRITORY FOR THE HARMONIOUS DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONURBATION

Overall aim

he conurbation community of Châlons- Champagne-Ardenne and giving it a new vocation as en-Champagne launched in 2003 a interface between the urban area and the major urban consultation under public procurement centre. rules, to hire a research firm to elabo- T rate a development project on the Rive gauche is also the opportunity to realize a project territory located on the left bank of the river that for sustainable urban development and build the city of crosses the city. This project, called “urban Left Bank tomorrow by beating urbanization and by incorporat- project” (so called “Rive gauche”) has led to the devel- ing the future equipment projects and affirming new opment of a series of measures to develop the territory. centralities.

Rive Gauche is indeed the future site for the city in an- In addition to the reference plan, four studies were ticipation of strong economic development, linked to made that were operationally defining general guide- the enhancement of logistics assets (new bypass road, lines. Three have been completed: urban renewal rail station and railway junction, near the A4 and A26 program (PRU) on Orleans - Saint Michel areas, railway motorways and International Airport Paris-). It is station and extensions of the city of Fagnières, the therefore to develop its economic and residential po- fourth, which addresses conurbation entries has not yet tential built on the strengths of the regional capital of been completed. PART B IMPLEMENTATION OF CITYREGION.NET 55 RESULTS AT LOCAL LEVEL

This variation, if it has led to projects that are now in With hindsight it is felt that the important work study, phase of implementation (PRU) or preparation (devel- led by Saunier-Casanelles under the leadership of the opment zone of the city of Fagnières, railway station conurbation community, has not yet found an outlet to operation) also shatters the coherence of the overall ap- the initial ambitions of the research firm. The “images” proach. The prime work of these missions has been produced by the architects, who are also of quality, spread between the city and the conurbation commu- eventually forming a sort of catalogue of intentions, are nity, according to principles which have probably been however insufficient to organize public action on devel- discussed but that does not seem obvious in retrospect. opment and planning. Thus the PRU which territoriality is more about the city is covered by the conurbation community, while the From then on, the purpose of the experimentation has railway station, which takes on issues at the conurbation consisted to lead a prospective dialogue approach with level is carried by the City. the whole of local projects decision-makers to combine the particular interests of each of them with the devel- At the same time the initial scope Rive Gauche was re- opment of a local strategy which targets to position duced to the only two territories of Châlons-en- ­ Rive Gauche as future territory for the harmonious de- Champagne and Fagnières (the other cities located on velopment of the conurbation. Rive gauche were finally not included), while the refer- ence plan also took into account, with real relevance, For that purpose, a first phase consisted of a first dump- those of other communes located on the Rive Gauche ing, leaning on meetings with the actors and the territory ( and in particular). documentary analyses allowing the local decision-mak- ers to define orientations to lead the experimentation, from which an organisation adapted for the approach has ensued.

A second phase of collective works is devoted to define the tools of teamwork and engage a dialogue with all the local actors.

The purpose of the Local action plan, issued from the experimentation, is to define the best development ­approach for the Rive gauche area of Châlons-en- Champag­ne.

Fig. 16: Conurbation community 56

Fig. 17: Economic development on the conurbation territory

Specific objectives

The experimentation led on the Rive gauche area of Châlons-en-Champagne should be seen not simply as the question of balance between the two sides of the territory but more fundamentally by the following ques- tions:

? How to strengthen its role of regional capital; the conurbation community needs the potential which is known on the Rive Gauche?

? How to capture new aspects of centrality for the benefit of the whole urban area?

? How to prevent internal competition and develop complementarities?

Fig. 18: Plan of the intervention area PART B IMPLEMENTATION OF CITYREGION.NET 57 RESULTS AT LOCAL LEVEL

Target groups Methodology on project level

? Social landlords ? Private landlords The working group met several times in 2009 to define ? Promoters ? Chamber of commerce and industry the different scopes of its work: ? French railway infrastructure company

? French railway company ? Census on the left bank of all ongoing projects in ? State departments (spatial planning, army) the fields of economy, transport, equipment, etc., Local transports company ? which are on the planning stage, for which a study ? Stakeholders associations has been made or which are in progress. This work ? Local authorities (region, cities located on the Rive Gauche territory) has enabled the elaboration of a mapping.

? Meeting of all stakeholders to explain the experi- mentation approach. This meeting took place in July 2009. It brought together identified stake- holders to participate in two thematic steering committees. Planned activities

? Meeting of two thematic steering committees on accessibility and transport and then on economy. The experimentation approach has led the research firm to provide the organisation of two bodies and to ? Finally, political validation of the results of the ex- plan a third one: perimentation in March 2010.

? A technical working group on the Rive Gauche project whose mission is to: – Lead an initial work of proofreading - update the Rive Gauche project Complementation with other – Ensure the listing on the identified territory the interventions projects likely to evolve – Provide a forum for technical coordination be- tween conurbation Community / City / Spatial The updating work of the Rive Gauche project is impor- planning Agency / research firm tant for the development of the next contracts that will – Ensure the proper implementation of the final be funded by the region and the State Rive gauche reference document

? Thematic steering committees: accessibility and transport in a first step and then economy

? A political steering committee involving all mayors of municipalities located on the left bank of the Marne River, which are also members of the con- urbation community 58

Innovative character

By launching an experiment, the state first considers the issue of medium sized cities in its horizontal policies and not simply on a sectoral approach. The medium sized cities are no longer seen as mere solidarity territories, but they must also participate to competitiveness. In France, they concern 20% of the population, attracting businesses, which are close to places of residence of the workforce.

Fig. 19: Organisation of the projects on the Rive Gauche The experiment launched by DIACT therefore aims to area help smaller cities to be more visible in public policy.

To do this, they therefore have the opportunity to work on: Financing of the project ? A new governance methodology for their projects

? The development of their speciality

The experiment is 100% funded by the national man- ? The strengthening of their achievements agement and development planning Fund (FNADT). A grant of € 100,000 was paid to the conurbation com- munity for its participation to this project, which led to the hiring of a research firm and the association of the spatial planning Agency of Châlons-en-Champagne.

The financing plan is as follows:

Expense Amount Research firm 55,018 € Spatial planning agency 15,000 € City of Châlons-en-Champagne 17,132 € Conurbation community 12,850 € TOTAL 100,000 € PART B IMPLEMENTATION OF CITYREGION.NET 59 RESULTS AT LOCAL LEVEL

Summary (lessons learnt)

In conclusion, the implementation of the experimenta- ? The consultants noted a clear lack of contrariness tion has met several obstacles that cannot seem to be between City departments and those of the con- overcome in the immediate future: urbation community on projects that have yet to be led jointly. Better communication between re-

? The lack of political consensus as it was demon- sponsible persons for operation and more strated in the report delivered by the research transparency allow the base to advance the issues firm: no political validation took place on all more satisfactorily. projects proposed in the document referenced as

“Rive Gauche project”. A political consensus on ? The consultants observed during partnership this issue would allow some projects be already in meetings that these contacts are not in the habit an operational phase. The Rive Gauche project of exchanging on the various projects they lead seems totally stalled so far. and that are often complementary, but also some- times in competition (e. g. policy on housing

? Meetings held by the consultants did not receive supply seems poorly controlled). the support of the state departments. Concerning the various wastelands on the territory of the study, it is always very difficult to know the real Some recommendations were given in March 2010 by intentions of the Ministry of Defense as to their the research firm to implement new actions to reacti- eventual disposal, allowing the implementation of vate the city’s strategy such as: development projects (including former military

hospital on the right bank part of the conurba- ? To give coherence to the notion of reference plan: tion). Also, census studies led by the French public – To set-up a political steering committee including enterprise in charge of the administration of the all the stakeholders to implement the reference railway infrastructure (RFF), which has so far not plan yet been completed, would probably make clearer – To update the urban left bank project replacing it the intentions of the manager of the railway infra- in a larger context for an enhanced coherence structure on the fate of any triage area, located on

the railway station on the Rive Gauche. Until these ? To prepare an update of the conurbation project: studies are not completed, no position of RFF will - To set up a concerted approach with communities be communicated on the future of this territory and cities elected members which leads to build- (which might be also registered in a flood zone). ing a shared vision of a territory development project

? Some monitoring and implementation tools of – To lead reflections on the positioning of the conur- existing sectoral projects existing on the territory bation in a network of agglomeration and on its of the city exist but are not used. These include the factors of attractiveness local habitat plan which provides the meeting of

periodic thematic commissions to change the ? To emerge a place for dialogue housing supply in the territory - they have never met so far. Would it therefore be useful to create new governance tools if existing ones are not used?