Three environmentalist associations from Cuneo have turned to the Piedmont TAR against the variant to the regional plan of the capital which allows the construction of a “citadel of sport” in the corn fields next to the Grande Cuneo shopping center, with also a hotel, shops and medical center. Estimated amount of the investment: 30 million, all borne by private individuals who already own the area of 76 thousand square meters (but the proposing Milanese company will build on less than a third for now).
The variant 31 had been approved in the City Council in February, after an hour and a half of debate and controversy: the yes came from the majority of Federico Borgna and from the opposition councilor Maria Luisa Martello.
But now the variant has been challenged by Legambiente (with the president Bruno Piacenza), Pro Natura (Domenico Sanino) and Italia Nostra (Alberto Collidà), who write: «Land consumption continues inexorably in Cuneo. The resolution of the Council fully implemented the proposal of the Executive, a substantial provision involving 51 changes to the current Regulatory Plan, some of little relevance, others of such an extent as to require, according to when reported by the ARPA, the subjection to the Environmental Assessment Strategic “.
The two most significant changes are on the former Enel area of Corso Francia (change of destination from “Technological area, private sports for public use” to the tertiary sector, covering an area of 56 thousand square meters) and the area next to the former shopping center Auchan (change of use from «agricultural fabric» to «integrated multifunctional area»). The three presidents speak of “considerable and unacceptable land consumption” and point the finger at “the increase in traffic vehicular, as well as on the fact that the current regulatory plan already provides for a “City of Sports“, so it is superfluous to build a new one in the former Auchan area ».
The appeal also disputes the character of a “partial variant”, since, according to the applicant associations, the transformations are significant and of extra-municipal significance. They conclude: «We would like to emphasize again that in the Municipality of Cuneo, land consumption has no respite. In fact, on an area of 42 thousand square meters overlooking the fire brigade barracks and the Polstrada, a new production, commercial and artisan complex will be built. An unacceptable consumption, given the decisive role of the soil in reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide and the many areas already compromised or abandoned available ».