Court Upholds Building Permit for Controversial Metz Mosque Project

On March 27, the Administrative Court of Appeal of Nancy validated the legality of the building permit granted in July 2019 by the city to the Union of Muslim Cultural and Religious Associations of Metz (UACM) for the construction of a mosque on Boulevard de la Défense, thus confirming the judgment rendered by the Administrative Court of Strasbourg, reports SaphirNews. With this decision, the court rules against the project’s neighbors who had appealed to it. They had asked the Administrative Court of Strasbourg to cancel the permit, citing violations of several provisions of the city’s local urban planning plan, including risks to tranquility, security, and traffic in the neighborhood, as well as risks related to the project’s maximum capacity, estimated at 4,725 people.

In its ruling, the Court reveals that "the most significant flows of people will be observed occasionally during Friday prayers and the two annual religious festivals," Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, and concludes that "the ordinary attendance of the site will not reach the maximum capacity." The judges also note that "the chosen location already includes many public facilities that generate gatherings and flows of people, such as administrative buildings and schools, so that noise nuisances or those resulting from traffic or parking should not exceed those already encountered."

In addition to the 114 parking spaces and 6 bicycle shelters, there are also significant public parking options that "are available near the construction, and the site is served by several public transport lines, as well as pedestrian and bicycle paths." "While the plaintiffs argued that the project fit poorly into the existing environment, the court considers that the neighborhood does not present a unity of style or particular architectural quality and that religious buildings have not been excluded from the constructions authorized in the area," the judges state. They note that "the project aims to promote religious and cultural exchanges" as it includes "various meeting places (restaurant, library, shops, hammam, gym) that will be open to all."

The Court’s decision is a double relief for UACM officials. Last February, they learned that the Union of Secular Families of Moselle (UFAL 57) does not intend to appeal the decision that dismissed its legal challenge regarding a request to cancel a municipal subsidy of half a million euros.

While UACM has certainly won a victory, it faces a huge challenge: the construction site is currently suspended "due to budgetary constraints." The organization is seeking funding to resume work by the end of 2025. To this end, it launched an appeal in March to collect 2 million euros.

Moreover, opponents of the project have the option to file an appeal with the Council of State within two months.