The Prime Minister, Jean Castex, confirmed this Tuesday what feared most of the inhabitants of the territories concerned. Crisenoy (Seine-et-Marne), Noiseau (Val-de-Marne) and Belloy-en-France (Val-d'Oise) have been well chosen to accommodate penitentiary centers in 2027, respectively of 1000, 800 and 750 places . Five other sites in France have been selected as part of this second phase of the “15,000-place plan” for prison, requested by Emmanuel Macron in 2018. During the first phase, a Ile-de-France site had already been selected, announcing the opening of a 715-seat establishment located in Tremblay-en-France (Seine-Saint-Denis) by 2026.
In Noiseau, after two and a half years of fierce combat to have this project canceled, the disappointment is great. “Most people here are against it,” said Anita, 68. If she understands "that there is a need for prisons", the sexagenarian points to the repercussions of the presence of such a structure on traffic. “It's already complicated in the sector at peak hours, it will be even more so with a penitentiary center. Alain, 75, has the same fear, he who has already seen the city change a lot since his childhood. "My grandparents bought this little piece of land to spend the weekend there, and it has built up well since," he regrets, looking ahead, when the prison will be delivered. We will see what we do, if we will stay here, if it becomes impossible to live with… ”
Mayor (LR) of Noiseau, Yvan Femel does not anticipate a massive departure of inhabitants.
But he notes that the first rumors about this project had, for a fairly short time, an effect on the attractiveness of the town in terms of real estate.
"The impact on the town will be obvious," he says.
Noiseau, this Tuesday.
Like many of his neighbors, Alain fears that his living environment will change from 2027: “We will see what we do, if we stay here, if it becomes impossible to live with…” LP / Gérald Moruzzi
In addition to the problem of traffic and a very limited supply in terms of public transport, the elected representative points to the use of agricultural land. The exact site of the prison is not yet known today, soil studies have not yet been carried out. But it is certain that it will be land today under cultivation, located not far from the future agro-district in gestation at the exit of the city.
"This is not a fight against prison, I think there are other opportunities in Ile-de-France to establish this type of structure, and without mobilizing agricultural land", judge Yvan Femel, ready to continue the fight against this project, "within the limits of legality", he specifies.
A demonstration is already scheduled for May 29.
"I think there will be a lot of people", predicts this mayor who had already been very supported, both on the right and on the left of the departmental political spectrum, during a major event organized in November 2018.
In Belloy, the promise of new jobs is not enough
In the Val-d'Oise too, the announcement makes people cringe. An 18.5 hectare plot has already been reserved near the Belloy-en-France station, on the other side of the road to Viarmes. The works are to take place from 2024 to 2027, according to the schedule presented. The document of the Public Agency for Real Estate of Justice (Apij) presents examples of architecturally neat projects and emphasizes the "economic impacts" of the program and the benefits that the municipality can derive from it, ensuring that the prison will create 430 direct jobs.
Opponents highlight the proximity of pavilions less than 300 meters from the future prison, but also the loss of agricultural land.
"This construction would sacrifice 18 hectares of agricultural land, an ecological corridor classified in the Oise Pays-de-France Regional Nature Park located at the gates of the Carnelle forest, and would forever change the rural aspect of the territory", underlines Thibaut Sainte-Beuve , representative of the “Belloy sans prison” collective and deputy mayor of the town.
The protesters organized a demonstration that brought together 150 people on March 20.
“Our village is not a garbage can.
We are only at the beginning.
The fight goes on.
Let's stick together!
»Had launched Fatima Malek, counselor of the opposition.
"We expected it but we will continue to fight"
In Crisenoy (Seine-et-Marne), this village of 684 inhabitants located a few kilometers from Melun, the dreaded scenario was therefore also confirmed on Tuesday. It is in the ZAC des Bordes that a 700-place remand center and a 300-place detention center will be erected, resulting from the transfer from that of Melun. “I had no official confirmation, neither from the ministry, nor from the prefecture, deplores Hervé Jeannin (SE), the mayor. We expected it but we will continue to fight. What is looming is two years of recourse, two years of proceedings and two or three years of work. The prison will only open in 2028 at the earliest. The danger is that the small rural village may disappear. "
However, this announcement was greeted on Tuesday by Louis Vogel (Agir), the mayor of Melun. "This move is a victory for Melun and more generally for the territory", welcomes the elected in a press release. Instead of the prison, this transfer will allow "the transformation of the island of Saint-Etienne and our city center", he concludes.
