The Rennes Area Territorial Coherence Scheme. Territorial Foresight, an Instrument for the Renewal of Urban Planning

n 1995, the Pasqua Law introduced the notion of “area” (pays) into French legislation and invited territories to develop its potential. In 1999, the Voynet Law established the “areas” as spaces in which public and private players could combine on projects and contracts, extending competence and co-operation to homogenous territories larger than the many inter-communal districts (urban district, conurbation, group of communes etc.), which are seen as being too small for some purposes. Taking advantage of this new opportunity, the Rennes “area” came into being in 1999, the aim being greater complementarity and cohesion between the city and the outlying and rural spaces. On this same territory, the various local players have recently approved a Territorial Coherence Scheme (schéma de cohérence territoriale or SCoT), laying down the general land-use plan for the Rennes area over the next 15-20 years. Isabelle de Boismenu, who played an active part in its development, gives an account here of how this exercise was carried out, including the contradictions that had to be resolved, the demographic prospects and their possible impact on housing demand, environmental issues and developments in mobility… A territorial foresight exercise to improve the lives of the current and future inhabitants of this area.