This is a sudden halt to the Victor Martinet company's relocation project to Mesnil-en-Thelle (Oise). Since 2019, it is a saga that shakes this small town in the south of the department. This chemical storage company intended to create a new logistics platform of about 12,000 m² classified Seveso low threshold, whose industrial activity requires monitoring by the authorities, on the border between Oise and Val-d'Oise, a few hundred meters from its current site.
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A strong mobilization of environmental associations, residents but also elected officials of neighboring cities had led to a procedure initiated at the administrative court of Amiens (Somme). While the construction had begun, the administrative body rendered its decision on Thursday, May 25. The building permit was cancelled. It is also non-regularizable. Clearly, we would have to start the procedure from the beginning... if Victor Martinet intends one day to make use of this new building.
"I don't see how you could operate a building that doesn't have a building permit"
For Didier Malé, president of the Regroupement des organismes de sauvegarde de l'Oise (ROSO), which had initiated the procedure with the municipality of Persan (Val-d'Oise) and the community of communes of Haut Val-d'Oise, this is a huge victory. "I still remember the public meetings where we were called all names and accused of doing anything," he said Friday, facing what looks like the conclusion of an episode that caused a lot of turmoil.
In 2019, after an initial public inquiry, the investigation commissioner gave an unfavourable opinion to the relocation project. But the building permit had been granted by the town hall, which had finally decided against it. Before the operating permit is issued by the prefecture.
"I deplore that the ecologists have rotted this file"
On this last point, the Administrative Court stayed the decision. "It's put on stand-by, enlightens Didier Malé. It is up to the prefecture to decide what will happen to it. But I do not see how you can operate a building that does not have a building permit. We will wait for the sequels, but we will not refrain from asking for the deconstruction of the building. It is absurd that they started before the court decision. »
To support its decision, the court relies on two points of non-compliance with the Local Urban Plan (PLU), including the connection to the sewerage network and the height of the buildings. A judgment that leaves the company stunned. "I deplore the fact that the ecologists have rotted this file to the detriment of employment and progress," says the head of the company. I am only an operator, it will be up to shareholders and lawyers to define the follow-up to be given, the file is not totally buried. »
