In Canéjan, south of Bordeaux (33), a building permit was granted in early 2023 by the town hall for the construction of a surf pool. This is a gigantic project, which is concerning in terms of its potential water consumption and completely at odds with current priorities for the conservation of this resource.
The case
The defenders
Alerted in 2022, the Surfrider Gironde local group quickly mobilised against the project and met with the town hall to obtain more information. When the building permit was approved, a collective was formed, comprising SEPANSO Gironde and Canéjan en Transition, supported by around thirty associations. Its aim is to study the project and take the necessary legal action to have the permit revoked. An appeal was lodged on 31 July 2023 with the Bordeaux Administrative Court, requesting the cancellation of the permit. In addition, the petition launched in May 2023 quickly exceeded 60,000 signatures, demonstrating massive opposition to the project.
State of the environment
The construction of this surf park risks increasing pressure on water resources: the lack of guarantees regarding the ability to collect sufficient rainwater and the current water trends in Gironde, with a decrease in the volume of freshwater reserves, raise questions about the sustainability of such a project. In the context of climate emergency, this new potential recreational use of water resources does not seem to be a priority and goes against the principle of sufficiency.
Our demands
We call for the cancellation of this Surfpark project in Canéjan.