"Nothing is finished, it's just one step in a fairly long process," said Arnaud Svrcek, mayor (without label) of this village where the Danish company, world leader in stone wool, a cheap insulator but criticized for the polluting emissions generated by its production, wants to set up.

Mr. Svrcek confirms a report in the newspaper L'Union that his first deputy signed the building permit on Monday, but with additional requirements, including respect for protected species.

"We are only implementing the December court decision, because not to do so meant putting us at fault and amputating our chances for the appeal," Svrcek added.

In December, the administrative court of Amiens had annulled the decree of the town hall of Courmelles refusing the building permit filed by Rockwool, judging among other things that the mayor had not respected "the principle of impartiality" in this case.

The court had ordered the town hall to reconsider the request within three months, i.e. before March 8. The town hall had appealed.

The text signed Monday specifies that the building permit has a "provisional character", pending in the decision on appeal.

"Our main concern is that they cannot start" the work, said Svrcek, who embodies the fight in his municipality against the plant project.

He recalls that, in addition to the appeal of the town hall, the appeal of opposition associations against the operating permit granted by the prefecture has not been judged at this stage either.

The construction of this plant, which would employ 130 people, is contested by residents and doctors of Soissonnais, who fear in particular the release into the air of dust and products such as phenols, formaldehydes and ammonia.

Arnaud Svrcek, mayor of Cormelles, and his companion Marta, next to a sign reading "Rockwoo, we say no", on April 8, 2023 in the Aisne © FRANCOIS NASCIMBENI / AFP/Archives

On the other hand, the project is supported, among others, by the mayor of Soissons and president of the Greater Soissons agglomeration, Alain Crémont (DVD), and by the Hauts-de-France region chaired by Xavier Bertrand (LR).

The town hall of Courmelles must organize on June 11 a public consultation on this project.

© 2023 AFP