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<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nA public policy for the real estate sector: compact cities<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nSince the early 2000s, France has introduced a series of regulations to curb urban sprawl and promote more sustainable cities. The Solidarity and Urban Renewal (SRU) act of 2000 laid the groundwork for modernised urban planning with the introduction of local urban plans (PLUs) and the establishment of social housing quotas. Ten years later, the Grenelle II act (2010) strengthened this approach by introducing regional climate plans and imposing stricter energy standards on buildings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nIn 2014, the Access to Housing and Renewed Urban Planning Act (ALUR) encouraged urban densification by removing caps on floor area ratios, while the 2016 Biodiversity Act introduced the Avoid \u2013 Reduce \u2013 Offset (ERC) principle to limit the environmental impact of new development projects. Later, the ELAN Act (2018) simplified urban planning procedures and promoted the conversion of offices into housing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nMore recently, the Climate and Resilience Act (2021) marked a major step forward by setting quantified targets for reducing soil sealing in natural spaces. For the first time, it enshrines in law the ambitious target of zero net land take (\u201cZ\u00e9ro Artificialisation Nette\u201d or ZAN) by 2050.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nThese regulations reflect the transition from a model of urban expansion to a focus on land conservation. The challenge now is to protect the soil while rehabilitating and reusing already urbanised spaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nUrban sprawl has slowed\u2026 but continues <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nDespite the many reforms implemented, the rate of land take in France remains high. After a temporary decline due to the 2008 economic slump, land conversion has stabilised since 2016 at a concerning level of more than 50,000 acres a year \u2013 the equivalent of five football pitches every hour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nFaced with this problem, France\u2019s Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE) is calling for a more consistent policy that looks at land as the shared heritage of the nation, to be preserved for future generations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nHowever, the implementation of the zero net land take target is meeting with considerable resistance. This is reflected in initiatives such as the TRACE bill presented in 2025, which aims to relax limits on land take \u2013 an illustration of the persistent contradiction between environmental requirements and the economic pressure exerted by local authorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nBrownfields: a resource for land conservation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nOnce considered unusable \u201cwasteland\u201d, industrial, commercial and agricultural brownfield sites are now proving to be a key resource for land use efficiency and conservation. Their redevelopment has become an essential lever for sustainable regional development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nThe decree of 26 December 2023 clarified their legal definition, incorporating criteria such as vacancy, pollution and excessive costs associated with their redevelopment. Meanwhile, new tools \u2013 such as the Cartofriches<\/strong> platform developed by CEREMA \u2013 make it possible to identify these spaces and support their conversion into useful projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nThese sites are valuable assets to promote an approach that combines the circular economy, industrial relocation and soil preservation. Their rehabilitation helps to revitalise local communities while curtailing the use of natural spaces \u2013 in the interest of sustainable development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nLogistics platforms on recovered brownfields, a driver of economic development<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nThe growth of e-commerce and reindustrialisation policies are driving demand for logistics facilities. In a context of land shortage, brownfield sites are increasingly recognised as strategic resources to meet this need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
Since the early 2000s, France has introduced a series of regulations to curb urban sprawl and promote more sustainable cities. The Solidarity and Urban Renewal (SRU) act of 2000 laid the groundwork for modernised urban planning with the introduction of local urban plans (PLUs) and the establishment of social housing quotas. Ten years later, the Grenelle II act (2010) strengthened this approach by introducing regional climate plans and imposing stricter energy standards on buildings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2014, the Access to Housing and Renewed Urban Planning Act (ALUR) encouraged urban densification by removing caps on floor area ratios, while the 2016 Biodiversity Act introduced the Avoid \u2013 Reduce \u2013 Offset (ERC) principle to limit the environmental impact of new development projects. Later, the ELAN Act (2018) simplified urban planning procedures and promoted the conversion of offices into housing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
More recently, the Climate and Resilience Act (2021) marked a major step forward by setting quantified targets for reducing soil sealing in natural spaces. For the first time, it enshrines in law the ambitious target of zero net land take (\u201cZ\u00e9ro Artificialisation Nette\u201d or ZAN) by 2050.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These regulations reflect the transition from a model of urban expansion to a focus on land conservation. The challenge now is to protect the soil while rehabilitating and reusing already urbanised spaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Urban sprawl has slowed\u2026 but continues <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nDespite the many reforms implemented, the rate of land take in France remains high. After a temporary decline due to the 2008 economic slump, land conversion has stabilised since 2016 at a concerning level of more than 50,000 acres a year \u2013 the equivalent of five football pitches every hour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nFaced with this problem, France\u2019s Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE) is calling for a more consistent policy that looks at land as the shared heritage of the nation, to be preserved for future generations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nHowever, the implementation of the zero net land take target is meeting with considerable resistance. This is reflected in initiatives such as the TRACE bill presented in 2025, which aims to relax limits on land take \u2013 an illustration of the persistent contradiction between environmental requirements and the economic pressure exerted by local authorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nBrownfields: a resource for land conservation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nOnce considered unusable \u201cwasteland\u201d, industrial, commercial and agricultural brownfield sites are now proving to be a key resource for land use efficiency and conservation. Their redevelopment has become an essential lever for sustainable regional development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nThe decree of 26 December 2023 clarified their legal definition, incorporating criteria such as vacancy, pollution and excessive costs associated with their redevelopment. Meanwhile, new tools \u2013 such as the Cartofriches<\/strong> platform developed by CEREMA \u2013 make it possible to identify these spaces and support their conversion into useful projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nThese sites are valuable assets to promote an approach that combines the circular economy, industrial relocation and soil preservation. Their rehabilitation helps to revitalise local communities while curtailing the use of natural spaces \u2013 in the interest of sustainable development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nLogistics platforms on recovered brownfields, a driver of economic development<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nThe growth of e-commerce and reindustrialisation policies are driving demand for logistics facilities. In a context of land shortage, brownfield sites are increasingly recognised as strategic resources to meet this need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
Despite the many reforms implemented, the rate of land take in France remains high. After a temporary decline due to the 2008 economic slump, land conversion has stabilised since 2016 at a concerning level of more than 50,000 acres a year \u2013 the equivalent of five football pitches every hour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Faced with this problem, France\u2019s Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE) is calling for a more consistent policy that looks at land as the shared heritage of the nation, to be preserved for future generations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, the implementation of the zero net land take target is meeting with considerable resistance. This is reflected in initiatives such as the TRACE bill presented in 2025, which aims to relax limits on land take \u2013 an illustration of the persistent contradiction between environmental requirements and the economic pressure exerted by local authorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Brownfields: a resource for land conservation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nOnce considered unusable \u201cwasteland\u201d, industrial, commercial and agricultural brownfield sites are now proving to be a key resource for land use efficiency and conservation. Their redevelopment has become an essential lever for sustainable regional development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nThe decree of 26 December 2023 clarified their legal definition, incorporating criteria such as vacancy, pollution and excessive costs associated with their redevelopment. Meanwhile, new tools \u2013 such as the Cartofriches<\/strong> platform developed by CEREMA \u2013 make it possible to identify these spaces and support their conversion into useful projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nThese sites are valuable assets to promote an approach that combines the circular economy, industrial relocation and soil preservation. Their rehabilitation helps to revitalise local communities while curtailing the use of natural spaces \u2013 in the interest of sustainable development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nLogistics platforms on recovered brownfields, a driver of economic development<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nThe growth of e-commerce and reindustrialisation policies are driving demand for logistics facilities. In a context of land shortage, brownfield sites are increasingly recognised as strategic resources to meet this need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
Once considered unusable \u201cwasteland\u201d, industrial, commercial and agricultural brownfield sites are now proving to be a key resource for land use efficiency and conservation. Their redevelopment has become an essential lever for sustainable regional development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The decree of 26 December 2023 clarified their legal definition, incorporating criteria such as vacancy, pollution and excessive costs associated with their redevelopment. Meanwhile, new tools \u2013 such as the Cartofriches<\/strong> platform developed by CEREMA \u2013 make it possible to identify these spaces and support their conversion into useful projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These sites are valuable assets to promote an approach that combines the circular economy, industrial relocation and soil preservation. Their rehabilitation helps to revitalise local communities while curtailing the use of natural spaces \u2013 in the interest of sustainable development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The growth of e-commerce and reindustrialisation policies are driving demand for logistics facilities. In a context of land shortage, brownfield sites are increasingly recognised as strategic resources to meet this need.<\/p>\n\n\n\nLogistics platforms on recovered brownfields, a driver of economic development<\/h2>\n\n\n\n