Ploermel community

Published May 22, 2023

Anger is brewing among the members of the association Les Diligences. It was created in the 1980s and gathers the residents of the Diligence district, located above the gendarmerie, behind the building of the Ploërmel family subsidy fund. But CAF sold this magnificent wooded land of more than 8000 m2 and vacated the building a few days ago. The premises are now empty and will be demolished from September. Instead, there will be a Burger King of 2900 m2 and a commercial complex of 4000 m2. This project caused many protests in Ploërmel.

This is the case for the residents of this peaceful residential area with 31 houses. “Of the 31 plots, 25 are inhabited by pensioners. We visited the mayor and we told him “you don’t know us, we will block everything”, residents protest. Fatalists, they admit that they cannot do much to prevent the construction of Burger King, although the prospect of the arrival of this sign does not please them. “Everywhere we criticize junk food, and here in Ploërmel we are going to bring another, in the middle of a residential area,” they complain.

On the other hand, there is one thing they do not want, that is the passage of delivery vans and vehicles that serve Burger King in the small street that serves their subdivision. Yet that is what the project provides. An entrance from the back of the current CAF site, therefore at the subdivision of Stagecoaches and an exit on the boulevard Georges Pompidou. It is out of the question. For local residents, this is the red line: “We don’t want to see any truck, car or pedestrian pass by.” Driving heavy trucks over 3.5 tons is prohibited in the city, and we are in the city. So they will not pass. We want the entrance condemned on this side,” they thunder, ready to barricade if necessary.

They are all the more determined that the nature of the project to be carried out there risks seriously impairing their daily life. “We will have the passage of cars coming to Drive, the smell of French fries, garbage and in addition, the value of our home will decrease …”, they declare.

The association was relaunched by this project and now also brings together the inhabitants who border the residential area, but who will also suffer from the impact of this urban upheaval. Everyone is back. A letter was sent to the project manager, and the representatives of the association promise to go next Tuesday, May 30, to the meeting of their district, which will take place in the village hall of Ploërmel, just to express their anger and their determination directly to the mayor.