French General Code of Local Authorities
In forceThe region, with the exception of the Ile-de-France region, overseas regions and territorial authorities with special status exercising the powers of a region, draws up a regional plan for planning, sustainable development and territorial equality.
This plan sets out the medium and long-term objectives for the region in terms of regional balance and equality, the location of various infrastructures of regional interest, the opening up of rural areas, housing, the economical management of space, the fight against the artificialization of land, intermodality and the development of passenger and freight transport, energy management and recovery, the fight against climate change, the development of renewable and recovery energies, air pollution, the protection and restoration of biodiversity, and waste prevention and management. These include targets for biogas production facilities. In terms of combating the artificialization of land, the targets set are translated into a trajectory that will lead to no net artificialization of land and, in ten-year increments, a target for reducing the rate of artificialization. This objective is broken down between the different parts of the region.
It also sets medium- and long-term objectives for the region in terms of the development and location of logistics facilities. It takes into account the flow of goods, particularly to town centres, the location of the main roads, the development of local commerce and e-commerce, the integration of these buildings into the landscape and the sparing use of natural, agricultural and forestry land.
The plan defines the regional airport strategy, which is only applicable to aerodromes open to public air traffic other than those mentioned in articles L. 6321-1, L. 6323-2 and L. 6324-1 of the Transport Code.
The plan identifies the roads and trunk roads which, due to their characteristics, constitute routes of regional interest. These routes are taken into account by the département, as part of its interventions, to guarantee the coherence and efficiency of the road network as well as the safety of users.
The plan may set targets for agrivoltaic installations as defined in Article L. 314-36 of the Energy Code.
The plan may set objectives in any other area contributing to regional development when the region has exclusive planning, programming or guiding powers under the law and the regional council decides to exercise them within the framework of this plan, by deliberation as provided for in article L. 4251-4. In this case, the plan takes the place of a sectoral planning, programming or guidance document. For areas in which the law institutes a sectoral document which the outline plan replaces, the outline plan incorporates the essential elements of the content of these documents.
The objectives are determined in compliance with the principles mentioned in article L. 101-2 of the town planning code and with the ambition of greater territorial equality. They may specify, for the territories mentioned in article L. 121-1 of the same code, the arrangements for reconciling the objectives of protecting the environment, heritage and landscapes.
An indicative summary map illustrates the objectives of the plan. In particular, this map may identify the acceleration zones defined pursuant to Article L. 141-5-3 of the Energy Code.
General rules shall be laid down by the region to help achieve the objectives mentioned in this article, without disregarding the powers of the State and other local authorities.
These general rules may vary between different major parts of the regional territory. Except within the framework of an agreement concluded in application of Article L. 4251-8, they may not have the direct consequence, for the other territorial authorities and the public establishments of inter-municipal cooperation with their own tax status, of creating or increasing an investment expense or a recurring operating expense.
These are grouped together in a section of the regional plan that includes thematic chapters. The booklet sets out the procedures for monitoring the application of the general rules and the assessment of their impact.
