These “dark stores” are considered by the town hall to be warehouses, whereas the premises in which they have been installed are most often commercial premises.
The town hall of Paris said on Saturday its “worry” in the face of a draft decree concerning the “dark blinds», a text which is not «not definitive” and is the subject of a “consultation“, was assured on the side of the ministry in charge of the City and Housing. Emmanuel Grégoire, first deputy PS at the town hall of Paris, in charge of urban planning, tweeted his “worry” and his “incomprehension» about «a draft order (…) which effectively legalizes dark stores.»
The capital has been raising its voice for several months against these places opened by the actors of the fast delivery of shopping at home, considering that they do not respect the regulations in terms of town planning. These “dark blinds» are considered by the town hall as warehouses, whereas the premises in which they have been installed are most often commercial premises. Warehouses and shops do not have the same impacts in terms of nuisance and neighborhood activity. Local residents complain in particular about the nuisance generated, in particular by the comings and goings of delivery people.
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From now on “a simple collection point will suffice to be considered a trade“, assured the elected, joined by AFP, and asks”the government to suspend this project and to convene a specific working meeting on this subject with France Urbaine and the major cities concerned“.
A hundred “dark blinds” in Paris
On Twitter, the Minister Delegate for the City and Housing Olivier Klein replied to Emmanuel Grégoire, confirming that a text was in preparation. “Yes, we need to regulate dark stores and find a balance between the vitality of city centers and employment. That’s what this project is all about! This text has been in consultation since July. Comments from Paris and municipalities are welcome. And not just on Twitter…“Wrote the minister, also mayor of Clichy-sous-Bois (Seine-Saint-Denis).
Asked by AFP, the Ministry Delegate to the Minister for Ecological Transition, in charge of the City and Housing, also confirmed that a draft decree and a draft decree were “in development“, especially for “better supervise the development of dark stores, dark kitchens” and “clarify the status of these premises“. A “consultation” is in progress “for six weeks“, specified this source.
The project “was submitted in July for consultation with the various stakeholders (local authorities and professionals concerned). This consultation made it possible to collect the first feedback and the various proposals from the stakeholders on the text“, according to the same source. “In the coming weeks, the work of adapting the text and consulting the actors concerned will continue in order to best reconcile the various issues.“, we added.
Read alsoParis: first financial penalties for dark stores
In June, the town hall of Paris announced that it wanted to impose, by the beginning of July, the first financial penalties on “great actors» fast home delivery of groceries. The capital now has, according to Emmanuel Grégoire, a hundred of these businesses, which have been booming since the travel restrictions intended to stem the Covid-19 epidemic.
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