Luynes Valley Landscape Plan

Luynes is among the sites that best exemplify the cultural landscape of the Loire Valley inscribed as a World Heritage. In addition to the site’s listing, a landscape plan is currently being defined area-wide. In Luynes, the landscape quality aims are due to be included in the PLU and its future remarkable heritage site (SPR).

Background

In 2013, the State designated the municipality of Luynes for Listed Site status. 

A landscape study was launched that is set to inform the presentation report. This programme received unanimous backing and was published in 2016. The State then invited Luynes to take part in the Landscape Plan proposals. The municipality got involved alongside the riverside communities on both banks of the Loire: Berthenay, Saint-Étienne-de-Chigny, Saint-Genouph, Savonnières and Luynes.  

Aims

• Define and safeguard the landscape qualities of the area;
• Define a territorial project in relation to the Outstanding Universal Value;
• Maintain the pyramids of vision
• Demonstrate that five municipalities can work together towards the same goal

Delivery

Luynes has naturally been designated as the project lead, since its listing was behind the setup of this landscape plan. 

The Landscape Plan is poised to be rolled out in 3 stages by an engineering firm: 

• Assessment of the area’s landscape
• Definition of the "Landscape quality aims". In other words, the key considerations and aims of the Landscape Plan. These will be put to a public consultation.
• The Action Plan, made up of work packages defining the programme of action, the stakeholders to be mobilised and implementation cost estimates. (e.g.: plan to run a ferry between Luynes and Berthenay). The cost of these work packages is borne each year.

The Landscape Plan’s financial cost is largely borne by the State and City of Tours. 

Outcome and outlook

The landscape study needed to be taken further. Two engineering firms were commissioned in succession: La Fabrique du Lieu and then Arts des Villes Et des Champs.  

Since the Landscape Plan has no legal status, it is important that the landscape quality aims are included in urban planning documents. Luynes therefore launched in tandem the revision of its PLU and the creation of an SPR on its territory. Preliminary studies for these two urban planning documents will be undertaken by the same engineering firm (AUA in Saint Avertin) to ensure the documents are consistent and genuinely take into account the listed site and the OUV.  

Contact

Julia Dufay 

Head of the Urban Planning Department - Luynes Town Council 

urbanisme[@]luynes.fr