Recherche d'une cohérence entre l'aménagement d'un espace destiné aux loisirs et l'exploitation d'une carrière de sable

The open-air recreation centre at Jablines. An attempt to reconcile operation of the centre with that of a quarry

Agence foncière et technique de la Région parisienne

Abstract

The Master Plan for development of the Paris region provides for a dozen open-air recreation centres within convenient distance of the city. Most of the selected sites are beside rivers and contain a sand deposit. The main problem in developing these sites, therefore, involves replanning of a quarry or coordinating sand extraction with recreational requirements. The Jablines project covers an area of 440 hectares in a bend of the river Marne roughly half-way between Meaux and a new town called Marne-la-Vallée. Present excavation work is to provide an open water area of roughly 150 hectares.

THE BASIC DEVELOPMENT CONCEPT

The organic development scheme implemented to date closely allows for quarry-working data whilst deliberately having been maintained highly flexible as regards definition of each individual basic sub-area, on the grounds that it would no doubt be unrealistic to work on assumed preferences of the public in 1985 or 1990. The organic scheme provides for a realistic "strategy" for the Jablines centre as regards the landscape, ground configuration, plantations, ways of access and the equipment and various focal points on which its ultimate structure will depend.

COMPLIANCE WITH THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN

The organic scheme is based on the assumption that the quarry operators will be the first developers of the site. This, however, implies that the quarrying contract clearly states the conditions under which it is to be applied ; important points in this connection are strict compliance with time limits and satisfactory performance of ail earth-moving work (e.g. reshaping of river banks, ground configuration, restoration of soil for vegetation, etc.

DEVELOPMENT AND EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS

Parisian town-dwellers are showing an increasing requirement for preferably waterside areas in natural surroundings in which to relax at weekends or during their summer holidays. The developer's job at Jablines is to reconcile provision of an open expanse of water and adequate bankside amenities with sand extraction operations, landscaping requirements and the preservation of vegetation.