• The prefect of Pyrénées-Orientales had authorized in 2018 the extension of this quarry on more than thirteen hectares. A decision challenged by environmental protection associations, which had won the first round before the administrative court of Montpellier.
  • The Administrative Court of Appeal of Toulouse confirmed this decision. It considers that "the extension of this career does not respond to an imperative reason of major public interest".
  • The applicant company and the State had mentioned significant aggregate needs for the future development of the port of Port-la-Nouvelle and the project for a section of high-speed line between Béziers and Perpignan.

The Toulouse Administrative Court of Appeal ruled in favour of four applicants against the State's decision to authorise the extension of a limestone quarry at Salses-le-Château, in the Pyrénées-Orientales. Among them were two environmental protection associations, the Federation for Natural Areas and the Environment of the Pyrénées-Orientales, and the association "Mieux vivre à Salses", an individual and an agricultural land group.

The court had been seized by the company Sablière de la Salanque, the Minister of Ecological and Solidarity Transition and the municipality of Salses-le-Château. The prefect of Pyrénées-Orientales had authorized on August 16, 2018 the extension of this quarry on more than thirteen hectares. This authorisation was granted through a derogation from the prohibition on harming protected species of flora and fauna. A decision challenged by environmental protection associations, which had won the first judicial round before the administrative court of Montpellier, on May 18, 2020.

Aggregates

On 20 March, the Administrative Court of Appeal of Toulouse therefore confirmed this judgment. In its view, the derogation thus granted is unlawful. It considers "that the extension of this career does not respond to an imperative reason of major public interest", even "taking into account the economic impact in terms of jobs or competitive balance". This is an essential condition for considering a derogation from the prohibition on undermining the conservation of protected animal or plant species.



The economic arguments were put forward by the applicant company and the State, while the need for aggregates is expected to be significant for the future development of the port of Port-la-Nouvelle and the project for a section of high-speed line between Béziers and Perpignan. The company Sablière de la Salanque, the municipality of Salses-le-Chateau and the Minister of Ecological and Solidarity Transition can seize the Council of State, which would then decide on the form of the file and not on the merits.


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