Dordogne field development project: Are suspended procedures jeopardising the plan?

The courts, which have been asked to deal with this matter, and the local community of communes have recently taken decisions that could disrupt the plans of the Sourzac town hall, which is planning to build around fifteen houses on agricultural land.

Bad news for the town hall of Sourzac (Dordogne), which is planning a housing development project that it wants to build on an agricultural plot at the entrance to the town. After criticizing, in March 2025, a proposal by the government commissioner to increase the price of the land in question, it learned that the expropriation judge, dealing with this case, had decided to suspend her decision until the forthcoming decision of the Bordeaux administrative court.

"This is a crucial step that gives us hope for a thorough examination of the situation," rejoice the opponents of the subdivision, mainly residents living near the said agricultural plot, who see this as a victory. United within the association Touche pas à ma campagne, they have been engaged, for more than a year, in a legal battle with the town hall in order to put an end to its attempts to build, next to their homes, around fifteen houses.

In addition to this judicial suspension, the Sourzac town hall will have to deal with the postponement of the amendment to the Intercommunal Local Urban Planning Plan (PLUi). Recently announced by the Isle Vern Salembre Community of Communes (CCIVS), it is intended to reclassify the agricultural plot as a building plot.

"I don't see how this is a victory for the opponents," comments Philippe Perlumière, the mayor of Sourzac. "For my part, it suits me: it means I'm not obliged to make a decision now." He explains: "If the judge says no to the expropriation, I'm not going to ask to convert this agricultural land into building land. If the administrative court says no to the project, I'll consider building land elsewhere instead."

The mayor maintains that he will comply with any court rulings. "But for me," he adds, "if the project doesn't go ahead in this location, everyone will lose: the municipality, the owner [of this plot] and local agriculture because we will be forced to break up [real estate] projects to combat the housing crisis."