Between now and 2050, the population of the canton of Geneva will increase by 20%. To be more precise, this means an additional 110,000 inhabitants in the canton and 400,000 in the region.
These prospects are causing a stir as regards the revision of the cantonal master plan.
There are currently two opposing views.
On the one hand, Geneva’s property developers are considering reclassifying part of the agricultural zone in order to build more housing.
In fact, Christophe Aumenier, General Secretary of the Geneva Real Estate Chamber, supports denser construction and the idea of touching on the agricultural zone, despite the reluctance of the authorities.
From another point of view, farmers reject any notion of touching agricultural land to build housing.
To support them, Héloïse Candolfi, Director of AgriGenève, argues that it is crucial for agriculture, just as it is for the urban population’s leisure time, to protect farmland.
The debate is on!
Spatial planning: housing needs versus preservation of agricultural land
The development of land in Geneva through density raises questions among the population. Many are concerned about the lack of quality in the built environment, to the detriment of the use of land that does not respect eco-responsible uses for future generations.
According to Christophe Aumenier, the département is at fault for not having anticipated the densification of the construction zone, which is essential to the needs of the economy. The result is :
- longer administrative delays.
- a risk of large-scale housing shortages.
The statistics from the Office cantonal are definite in their forecasts of population growth, and the difficulties are likely to increase.
Then there’s the matter of the partial downgrading of crop-growing areas.
For property developers, this would be a jackpot, but political reasons prevent this from happening, forcing the construction of 2,800 homes a year.
The issue of the villa zones is therefore being debated with a view to obtaining a contribution equivalent to that of the agricultural zone, but there is uncertainty as to the exact percentage of the zone that has been densified since 2015.
The Geneva Chamber refers to responsible land use for villa zones located in the city or close to transport links, but to date the canton of Geneva has not determined any valid conditions in the opinion of the people of Geneva.
All downgradings of villa zones have so far been rejected.
Farmers maintain their position!
Densifying the agricultural zone would cover 45% of the current cantonal territory. It’s easy to see why farmers are sticking to their guns – it’s their livelihood!
Héloïse Candolfi, Director of AgriGenève, supports them and is in favour of protecting crop-growing areas (SDA) to maintain local agricultural production, and therefore maintains the idea of the agricultural zone as a recreational area for the population.
We have to understand that property developers are looking to downgrade large plots of land, while the villa zones are nothing more than small fry, in the hope of obtaining more and advancing their cause.
However, there is one major factor that corroborates Ms Candolfi’s comments. The population feels a certain attachment to agriculture. It was not for nothing that the master plan was rejected in 2015 by the Federal Office for Spatial Development.
What’s more, some of Geneva’s agriculture comes from market gardening, field crops and vineyards. These are strong arguments for supporting efforts to combat climate change. So farms need to survive, so that young people can take over from them.
Alternatives to densification of the agricultural zone
There are other options for densification to be explored :
- conversion of residential areas
- redevelopment of brownfield sites
- urban renewal.
For example, PAV (the Praille Acacias Vernet project) is already regarded as a model of urban development.
In Zurich, densification is increasing within urban areas to preserve agricultural land. The result is :
- renovation
- rehabilitation of old buildings,
- conversion of industrial areas.
In France, the ‘Loi Littoral’ imposes rules to protect natural areas by the sea. The aim is to show that well-targeted legislation can be made subject to urban expansion. Geneva could certainly learn from this.
Finally, the Netherlands has opted for reverse reclamation. Urban wastelands and industrial zones are transformed into residential areas in order to preserve agricultural land.
Faced with increasing pressure to meet the needs of a growing population, a compromise is needed to reconcile these imperatives while preserving agricultural and environmental resources.
Building in agricultural areas represents a major challenge, with potential impacts on biodiversity, local food production and soil protection, which are essential to our ecosystem.
This dilemma between economic development and land conservation highlights the importance of measured development.
In this context, the cantonal master plan plays a key role in preventing urban sprawl by guiding initiatives towards balanced development, ensuring that urban growth coexists harmoniously with the preservation of agricultural land.
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