Nice (AFP)
The extension of a terminal at Nice Côte d'Azur airport to receive more passengers was validated Friday by the administrative court, which rejected the appeal of associations hoping for a decision similar to the setback suffered by the Heathrow Airport.
"The legality of this project must be assessed, in particular, in terms of only direct or indirect impacts (...) on its environment," said the judge, for whom all legal objections relating to the effects of trafficking air at Nice airport on global warming, biodiversity and public health are not acceptable.
"It does not follow from any concrete element submitted to the investigation that the disputed building permit, issued by the prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes, would be vitiated by a misuse of power or procedure", also estimated the judge, in an order rejecting the request of France Nature Environnement Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur, FNE Alpes-Maritimes, Capre 06 and a citizen collective.
The airport, which expects to exceed 18 million passengers in 2023 and 21 million in 2030, eight million more than in 2019, is preparing to build six departure lounges before the summer of 2021, a check-in hall. baggage in 2022 and baggage delivery in 2023.
"A very small building" enlarging the existing Terminal 2, without the addition of retail space and for the comfort and safety of passengers, according to the concessionaire who considers that he suffers from infrastructures unsuitable for "natural and sudden growth in air traffic".
"It's like asking a human being to stop growing up," pleaded Jean-Pierre Boivin, alongside a state lawyer. The cost of the project, supported by the municipality and the government, is estimated at 75 million euros.
The airport, privatized in 2016, is controlled by a consortium associating the Italian company Atlantia (ex-Autostrade, subsidiary of the Benetton group and manager of Rome airport), EDF Invest and Monaco. He claims that the number of planes in the sky is growing four times slower than the number of its passengers.
But associations have calculated that there would be 22,000 more flights in ten years and denounce an outdated model of "overtourism" in a region "vulnerable" to climate change.
"How many more dead and sick because of these eight million passengers and these 22,000 additional flights?" Asked the representative of associations Thierry Bitouzé.
He had denounced irregularities in the impact studies, bias, according to him, the investigating commissioner etc.
"We will continue the fight in the Court of Cassation to defend this cause and there is also an action for annulment", he reacted, criticizing "a heresy which will annoy many activists everywhere in Nice and elsewhere".
© 2020 AFP