Paris (AFP)

The National Commission for Commercial Development (CNAC) on Thursday approved the project of renovation and transformation of Gare du Nord in Paris, AFP learned from several sources concordant.

The CNAC is due to officially announce its decision Friday and several sources concurring told AFP that it was positive.

The renovation project of the Gare du Nord, led by SNCF Gares & Connexions and the Auchan property, Ceetrus, provides a real facelift of the 155-year-old old lady, the first station in Europe, attended every day by 700,000 travelers.

This project is far from unanimous. About twenty renowned architects, including Jean Nouvel and Roland Castro, deemed this project "unacceptable" and "pharaonic", and the City of Paris, which initially supported the project, changed its tone: the mayor of the Xth arrondissement Alexandra Cordebard, and the deputy mayor of Paris in charge of urban planning, Jean-Louis Missika, criticized last week a project "too commercial, dense, not enough turned towards the travelers".

"Very opposed to the current project", the Town Hall calls for "the organization of a meeting of stakeholders with the prefect of the region with Alexandra Cordebard to change the project," reacted Thursday evening with AFP the First Deputy Mayor of Paris, Emmanuel Grégoire.

The town hall, which had not yet received an "official notification" Thursday night, "does not rule out an appeal if the dialogue does not allow to change the project," warned Mr. Grégoire.

The Gare du Nord is a real crossroads: trains from the northern suburbs alongside TER from the northern regions, high-speed trains from Belgium and the Channel, and three subway lines.

For 600 million euros, the project provides a green roof terrace of one hectare overlooking the Sacré Coeur, with a trail trail, parking for 2.000 bicycles, a large transverse nave.

Objective: With an additional 88,000 m2, the Gare du Nord should reach a total area of ​​124,000 m2, including 46,000 m2 dedicated to a theater, cultural facilities, a gym or shops and offices.

© 2019 AFP