Nancy, France
City population: 257052
Duration: 2006 – 2024
Implementation status: Ongoing
Scale: Meso-scale: Regional, metropolitan and urban level, Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level
Project area: 1400000 m2
Type of area: Central Business District / City Centre
Last updated: November 2021

"This disctrict of "Plateau de Haye" is part of the EcoQuartier approach, is one of the most ambitious urban renewal projects. In line with the development of the New Urban Renewal Program, work was carried out this year [2012] on the challenges of opening up territory to its urban and forestry environment in order to confirm the "Forest City" approach initiated by the architect-town planner Alexandre Chemetoff" (Ref. 1). It received the EcoQuartier National Grand Prize (Ref. 2). A forest, community gardens and a green corridor are being developed with a rainwater recovery system (Ref. 2). Work is set to continue until 2024 (Ref. 10). "It will first allow work to be done on the functionalities of the district : development of spaces freed up by the demolition of the Blanc Sycamore and the Purple Beech, reconversion of the Tamaris and Ombelles into housing, shops and spaces dedicated to companies, creation of green spaces , shared gardens and parking" (Ref. 10).

A computer generated image showing a person walking on a path in a city
https://www.nancy.fr/etonnante/grands-projets/l-ecoquartier-plateau-de-haye-181.html

Overview

Nature-based solution

  • Grey infrastructure featuring greens
  • Alley or street trees and other street vegetation
  • Institutional green space
  • Other
  • Parks and urban forests
  • Large urban parks or forests
  • Pocket parks/neighbourhood green spaces
  • Green corridors and green belts
  • Community gardens and allotments
  • Community gardens
  • Green areas for water management
  • Swales and filter strips

Key challenges

  • Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
  • Climate change mitigation
  • Water management (SDG 6)
  • Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
  • Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
  • Green space creation and/or management
  • Environmental quality
  • Soil quality improvement
  • Air quality improvement
  • Noise reduction
  • Regeneration, land-use and urban development
  • Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
  • Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
  • Inclusive governance
  • Health and well-being (SDG 3)
  • Enabling opportunities for physical activity
  • Creation of opportunities for recreation
  • Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
  • Real estate development
  • Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
  • Preservation of natural heritage
  • Promotion of cultural diversity
  • Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12)
  • Sustainable consumption

Focus

Creation of new green areas, Strategy, plan or policy development, Other

Project objectives

"The idea is to reconquer and better integrate this district in the urban area of Nancy to improve the living conditions of the inhabitants, including local shops, green spaces, a strengthening of the medical center, Greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets " (Ref. 2) -Create a "Forest City": "The project consists of "bringing the forest of Haye" into the Plateau, that is to say thinking of the treatment of spaces in a forest logic in order to qualify and specify the districts. The plant species and formations of the Haye forest are favored in urban development." (Ref. 4) -"This system is an original, lively and attractive equipment suitable for sports, leisure and gardens. By maintaining the great natural equilibriums, the district offers an exceptional living environment to the inhabitants" (Ref. 5)

Implementation activities

-"A forest park and community gardens have also been developed" (Ref. 3) -"Forest City" approach initiated by the architect-town planner Alexandre Chemetoff."(Ref. 1) -"Based on the natural heritage of the site, the emphasis is placed on the development of a forest park, the creation of a linear noise barrier and the construction of pedestrian paths, combining the paths of the Maxéville orchards and the hillsides. This vast park of 10 ha mixes forest, meadows, glades, walks and community gardens. A total of 18,500 trees are planted. This system is an original, lively and attractive equipment suitable for sports, leisure, and gardens. By maintaining the great natural equilibriums, the district offers an exceptional living environment to the inhabitants." (Ref. 5) -Recovery of rainwater and creation of a green corridor to aerate this highly urbanized district.(Ref. 2) -"As part of a development master plan designed by the urban planner, Alexandre Chemetoff, work on the quality of use of public spaces was carried out and the development of landscaped and natural spaces was favored. "The search was made for a balance between cut and fill and the recovery of topsoil, rocks and green waste," explains Olivier Ricard, Secretary General of Solorem. Everything that was found on the site was reused and valued ”. Respect for the environment is also found in the use of natural materials such as wood, BBC or HQE standards, the collection of rainwater, or even with the creation of a collective dual-energy gas / wood boiler room, paths pedestrian and cycle paths. A large 12 hectare park and a green grid now air this highly urbanized district" (Ref. 2). "In addition, innovative participatory governance has combined the inhabitants with the project management, with elected representatives of the neighborhood very involved by mobilizing procedures and solid financial arrangements" (Ref. 2).

Climate-focused activities

Climate change mitigation:

  • Invest in public transport/bicycle infrastructure as a means to prevent car use
  • Raise public awareness of behaviours, lifestyle and cultural changes with mitigation potential

Main beneficiaries

  • Local government/Municipality
  • Citizens or community groups
  • Marginalized groups: Socio-economically disadvantaged populations (e.g. low-income households, unemployed)

Governance

Management set-up

  • Co-governance with government and non-government actors

Type of initiating organisation

  • Local government/municipality
  • Citizens or community group
  • District/neighbourhood association

Participatory approaches/ community involvement

  • Dissemination of information and education
  • Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
  • Citizen oversight (e.g. boards, advisory)
  • Citizen monitoring and review
  • Other

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

The main initiator of this project is the "Grand Nancy Metropole" (local government) (Ref. 5). "In addition, innovative participatory governance has combined the inhabitants with the project management, with elected representatives of the neighborhood very involved by mobilizing procedures and solid financial arrangements" (Ref. 2). "PROJECT LEADER: Greater Nancy urban community; CLIENTS: Grand Nancy, City of Laxou, City of Maxéville, City of Nancy, Office Public de l'Habitat de Nancy, Meurthe-et-Moselle Habitat, EPARECA; PROJECT MANAGER: Alexandre Chemetoff & associates (Landscapes Office); DEVELOPER: Solorem" (Ref. 5). "This decade of permanent movement, animated together with the towns of Laxou and Maxéville and the support of the Métropole du Grand Nancy , convinced the government to make the Plateau de Haye a site of national interest under the New Program. National Urban Renewal ( NPNRU ), which runs until 2024" (Ref. 10). Partners of this Eco-District Project: ANRU (National agency for urban renovation), CDC (Public Financial institution), Meurthe-et-Moselle, Région Lorraine, European Union / ERDF, Water Agency Rhin-Meuse, AFL (French local government funding agency), EPFL (Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne) (Ref. 5, section "acteurs")

Project implemented in response to ...

... an EU policy or strategy? Unknown
... a national policy or strategy? Yes (Eco-District Label compliance (Ref. 7).)
... a local policy or strategy? Yes (Urban Renewal Development Planning (PLUi) (Ref. 7 and 8))

Financing

Total cost

More than €4,000,000

Source(s) of funding

  • Public national budget
  • Public regional budget
  • Public local authority budget

Type of funding

  • Earmarked public budget
  • Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)

Non-financial contribution

Unknown

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

  • Climate change
  • Reduced emissions
  • Environmental quality
  • Improved air quality
  • Reduced noise exposure
  • Water management and blue areas
  • Increased protection against flooding
  • Green space and habitat
  • Promotion of naturalistic styles of landscape design for urban development
  • Increased green space area
  • Increased number of species present

Economic impacts

  • Increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions)
  • Stimulate development in deprived areas
  • Generation of income from NBS
  • Other

Socio-cultural impacts

  • Social justice and cohesion
  • Improved social cohesion
  • Improved liveability
  • Improved access to urban green space
  • Increased visibility and opportunity for marginalised groups or indigenous peoples
  • Increased opportunities for social interaction
  • Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
  • Increased access to healthy/affordable food
  • Increased sustainability of agriculture practices
  • Health and wellbeing
  • Improved physical health
  • Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
  • Cultural heritage and sense of place
  • Promotion of cultural diversity
  • Protection of natural heritage
  • Increased sense of place identity, memory and belonging
  • Increased awareness of flora and fauna as culturally and historically meaningful
  • Increased appreciation for natural spaces
  • Other

Type of reported impacts

Expected impacts, Achieved impacts

Presence of formal monitoring system

Unknown

Presence of indicators used in reporting

No evidence in public records

Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports

No evidence in public records

Availability of a web-based monitoring tool

No evidence in public records

References

1. Grand Nancy (n.d). "Les six territoires à enjeux de la Métropole". Available at: Source link (Accessed: August 18, 2020).
2. Servir le public (2012). "Nancy : Plateau de Haye, la métamorphose d’un quartier". Available at: Source link (Accessed: August 18, 2020).
3. Sabarly, Colette (2014). "A Nancy, un nouveau quartier pour changer l'image du plateau de Haye". Available at: Source link August 18, 2020).
4. Solorem (n.d). "Le Plateau de Haye, un territoire éco-responsable". Available at: (Website not available in 2020).
5. Solorem (n.d). "Un Grand Projet Plateau de Haye Urbain". Available at: Source link (Accessed: August 18, 2020).
6. Grand Nancy (n.d). "Démocratie participative". Available at: Source link (Accessed: August 18, 2020).
7. Grand Nancy (n.d). "Urbanisme". Available at: Source link (Accessed: August 18, 2020).
8. Grand Nancy (n.d). "LE PLAN LOCAL D'URBANISME INTERCOMMUNAL (PLUi) PRECISERA LA STRATEGIE DU GRAND NANCY POUR LES DIX ANNEES A VENIR". Available at: Source link (Accessed: August 18, 2020).
9. Grand Nancy (2016). "Les Natures en Villes au secours des respirations urbaines". Available at: Source link (Accessed: August 18, 2020).
10. Grand Nancy (n.d.). "L'Ecoquartier Plateau de Haye". Available at: Source link (Accessed: August 18, 2020).
A view between two buildings in a city with lots of greenery
https://www.nancy.fr/etonnante/grands-projets/l-ecoquartier-plateau-de-haye-181.html