The Grand Paris: an adequate framework for Ile de France's new stakes?

Résumé du document

Ile de France, the richest region of France and Europe, faces both advantages and drawbacks related to its 'metropolitanization'. While this expansion is the result of the region's attractiveness and dynamism, urban sprawl raises many difficulties for Ile de France. There is a major stake here: how can Paris's region both remain attractive and maintain a sustainable development? To answer this question, it is important to define the most efficient framework and scale within which Paris's region is going to face its new stakes.

Extraits

[...] Work has to be done in many areas, such as transportation, housing (the two main areas which are affected by congestion), and social cohesion. Concerning problems of transportation, there is a lot to do in Paris's region, especially in the petite couronne. As we have seen, interdependence is high between Paris and its suburbs. For example, one Parisian out of three works outside from Paris, while in Paris, three jobs out of five are held down by inhabitants from the suburbs. There is also more and more traffic within suburbs, which represent 70% of Franciliens' moves. [...]

[...] The decisions made by the commune where this person works have an impact on him. A change in governance is needed because sustainable development issues concern both Parisians and the inhabitants from the suburbs, above all those from the petite couronne. Thus, governance at a larger scale than the communal one or the district one is needed: this would avoid the fragmentation of public policies and tax systems, this would give reformers broader means to carry out innovative projects and this would be more democratic for every citizen. [...]

[...] There is also a dysfunction in Paris's region territories: administrative territories don't correspond to economical ones. For example, the main headquarters area goes from Opera (in Paris) to the edge city La Défense (in Hauts-de-Seine). It is clear that alone, Paris isn't able to sustain a global competition; it must be associated to its neighbours and it needs to have a global vision of its competitiveness. Finally, Paris's suburbs and exurbs also need the capital to sustain a global competition. [...]

[...] As Alain Renk summarizes, De façon paradoxale, les instances politiques des communes et des communautés de communes rejettent, au nom de leur désir respectable d'émancipation, le principe d'un Grand Paris qu'elles devraient pourtant prendre d'assaut, à certaines conditions, pour bénéficier de son attrait et de sa dynamique How can Grand Paris be set up without the agreement of a great part of mayors? When all is said and done, it is very difficult to find clear responses to the need of tackling urban sprawl in Ile de France. If the problems are well identified, and if the need for a redefinition of the administrative framework of Paris's region is more and more accepted, the solutions are not consensual. [...]

[...] Alain Renk agrees with this vision of Grand Paris : imaginons un instant que la frontière Paris banlieues disparaisse, non pas dans l'intégration des banlieues à un majestueux et unique Grand Paris, mais qu'à l'inverse la multiplicité inventive des banlieues rejoigne la ville historique, pour donner naissance à une nouvelle entité, constituée par exemple d'une quinzaine de quartiers métropolitains, organisés à partir des bassins de vie parcourus quotidiennement par les habitants Concerning housing and transportation issues, the Grand Paris would create a road map, le Plan du Grand Paris, which would be more restrictive and more ambitious than the regional one (the SDRIF or Shéma directeur de la Région Ile de France). Indeed, this plan would settle specific quantitative objectives for each commune of the Grand Paris in terms of infrastructures. Moreover, the settlement of Opérations d'Intérêt Métropolitains would give Grand Paris the means of carrying out crucial plans for the agglomeration, such as car parks, various transport infrastructures and social housing programs. [...]