The justice canceled the environmental authorization granted to an Amazon parcel sorting center project in Fournès, in the Gard, of which it does not recognize "the major public interest", compromising the implementation of the building permit from the Internet giant.

In a press release published on Tuesday, the administrative court of Nîmes recalls that it has received a request for the annulment of a prefectural decree of November 2019 granting environmental authorization to the project of the company Argan, specializing in the construction of logistics bases, mainly for the needs of Amazon.

This project provides for the construction of a 38,800 m² building on 13.7 hectares of land, near the A9 motorway, a major axis to Spain.

More than 500 trucks per day

The construction of this enormous sorting center, where more than 500 trucks would run per day near the Pont du Gard, a world heritage gem, has deeply divided elected officials and inhabitants of this tourist region for several years.

In the case of this project "likely to affect the conservation of protected animal or plant species", the court ruled that "despite the probable creation of 600 full-time equivalent jobs and the economic benefits (...) it did not respond not for an imperative reason of overriding interest, a concept very strictly assessed by the jurisprudence of the Council of State ”.

"The cancellation of the environmental authorization is an obstacle to the implementation of the building permit," said the court, adding that it would "rule very soon on the seven requests before it and contesting the permit to build ”.

Attac France hails a "great victory"

It is a "big victory for the mobilization" stop Amazon "", reacted the spokesperson of Attac France, Raphaël Pradeau, welcoming the "strong resistance on the part of residents, farmers, traders, alter-globalists, environmentalists »Everywhere in France against Amazon, but saying however to remain« vigilant »as for the other projects of the multinational.

Contacted by AFP, Amazon had not reacted Tuesday evening.

This setback for Amazon comes two weeks after the abandonment of a logistics center project of the group near Nantes, in Montbert (Loire-Atlantique) due to delays due to “the accumulation of technical and legal constraints”.

Several environmental associations including Adere (association for the development of employment with respect for the environment), applicants, also welcomed the court's decision in a press release.

They are fighting against an "establishment which would distort three major sites, classified as World Heritage by Unesco (Pont du Gard, Gorges du Gardon, Heritage of dry stone know-how)".

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