Densification in the Paris low rise suburbs : how and for whose benefit ?
Résumé
The study concentrates on residential areas which are mainly composed by detached houses to analyse the underlying economic and socio-political mechanisms of the densification dynamics of this areas. The research explores the hypothesis that the densification of residential neighbourhoods dominated by detached houses is primarily initiated by private actors (property developers, developer contractors, households/ private individuals, land owners), especially in areas with high value residential markets. The paper offers an in-depth analysis of the socio-political relations observed in the densification processes in suburban neighbourhoods of two municipalities of the Paris-City region. The first, Magny-les-Hameaux, introduced a discretionary densification policy in its suburban neighbourhoods; while the second, Noisy-le-Grand, is implementing an interventionist policy of radical densification on several of its detached housing districts. In studying these two differing processes and the policies linked to them, and exploring the extent to which land and property market cycles affect the fabric of the city, we discuss the possible orientations of a public policy in relation to a process which first results from a market mechanism. In doing so, we explore the extent to which the local implementation of compact city policies and their associated processes represent the interests and objectives of political and economic elites in controlling, managing or seizing local land value and planning systems for their own benefit. In particular, we study the shifting influence of the policy instruments used to regulate the densification dynamics on the changing role of public authorities and their relationship with market actors.
Le papier se concentre sur les espaces résidentiels majoritairement composés de maisons individuelles, pour analyser les mécanismes économiques et socio-politiques sous-jacents aux dynamiques de densification de ces espaces. La recherche explore l'hypothèse selon laquelle la densification des quartiers pavillonnaires est majoritairement initiée par des acteurs privés (promoteurs immobiliers, agents immobiliers, ménages particuliers, propriétaires fonciers), plus particulièrement dans les zones tendues et valorisées du marché immobilier. Le papier expose une analyse en contexte des relations socio-politiques observées dans les processus de densification de quartiers pavillonnaires de deux communes de la région parisienne. En étudiant ces deux processus différenciés, et les politiques qui leur sont associées et en considérant que les marchés fonciers et immobilier affectent la fabrique de la ville, nous discutons des orientations possibles d'une politique publique par rapport à un processus qui relève d'abord d'un mécanisme de marché. Plus particulièrement, nous étudions l'influence des instruments de politique publiques sur le rôle des autorités publiques et sur leurs relations avec les acteurs de marché.