A Completed Public Inquiry, Persistent Tensions
The public inquiry on the PLUi-HMB (Intermunicipal Local Urban Plan – Housing, Mobility, Biodiversity) of Greater Annecy, which took place from May 19 to June 27, 2025, concluded amid a climate of intense tension. This strategic document, the result of seven years of reflection, has crystallized opposition between ecological vision and the economic realities of the Annecy territory.
The Revolt of Real Estate Professionals
An Unprecedented Coalition Against the Project
MEDEF Haute-Savoie, the Federation of Real Estate Developers (FPI) Alps, and the ACSL association of Construction Actors Savoie Léman denounced in a press release "a poorly calibrated document, disconnected from the real needs of the territory and carrying serious consequences for the housing supply in Greater Annecy."
This unprecedented coalition commissioned an independent study from Villes Vivantes, which revealed major contradictions:
Obsolete demographic diagnosis: The Insee statistics used are outdated (2012–2017), while figures from 2015–2021 are available. They underestimate demographic growth and the continuous decline in household size.
Unrealistic objectives: While the Sustainable Development and Planning Plan (PADD) aims to welcome 1,600 additional inhabitants per year, the PLUi-HMB plans for the annual construction of 1,400 housing units. According to Villes Vivantes, however, only 735 to 975 units could realistically be built each year.
Annecy Real Estate Construction: Destructive Rules?
In Annecy, building projects above two stories or including penthouses would gradually disappear if this PLU were adopted as is. Authorized heights would be lower than 78% of existing buildings in Annecy’s central sector.
Concrete impact:
- 72% of housing built through vertical densification since 2017 would not have been authorized under future rules
- In the new municipality of Annecy, only 650 housing units were started on average per year between 2021 and 2024, compared to a target of 870 planned in the PLUi
To understand current market issues, consult the RE2020 regulations, which add to local constraints.
Political Opposition: Divided Elected Officials
Tony Pessey: "Personally Against But Voted For"
Tony Pessey, a minority elected official in Annecy, stated: "For most elected officials, this project, which represents a cost of several million, is not completely finalized. But the pressure is such that it will very probably be voted as is, with upcoming exemptions," while acknowledging he is "personally against but voted for."
This statement highlights internal tensions within Annecy’s municipal council, where 69 elected officials try to navigate between political pressures and technical realities.
A Suspicious Electoral Calendar?
A few months ahead of the municipal elections in March 2026, the timing of this document raises questions. Why rush the adoption of such a structuring PLUi without incorporating warnings from professionals or corrections requested by public institutions such as the Regional Prefecture or the Chamber of Agriculture?
Social Housing: The Announced Crisis
Downgraded Land, Cancelled Projects
The Social Housing Union (USH) 74, which federates social landlords, has denounced the downgrading of land purchased to expand the social rental housing stock, which would become unbuildable.
Nicolas Gauteur, president of USH 74, warned: "The buildable square meters authorized in this project are reduced compared to what the law allows. The housing crisis awaiting us will be far more serious than in 2025."
Affordable Housing in Annecy: Mission Impossible?
By increasing the share of affordable housing from 30% to 66% depending on the sector, the future PLUi-HMB would also slow the launch of new housing programs.
Also read: Guide to social housing in France
Environmental Opposition: Planetary Limits
Water, the Forgotten Issue According to Ecologists
According to the "Oui Annecy" collective, "The Water Agency has classified the Fier and Lake Annecy basin as vulnerability 5/5 in terms of water quantity and 4/5 in terms of water quality. We can no longer accommodate all cross-border workers, all those who dream of living in our idyllic setting."
An Insufficient Bioclimatic Approach?
"With a reduction in water resources, a Rhône flow that will decrease by 40% by 2050, and melting glaciers, we owe downstream solidarity to the Mediterranean. This issue must therefore dictate our approach to economic and demographic expansion."
France Nature Environnement Haute-Savoie also criticizes a plan that "plans 21,000 housing units for 24,000 additional inhabitants while eliminating 240 hectares of agricultural and natural land."
Annecy Real Estate Market: Between Pressure and Reality
Unaffordable Prices, Explosive Demand
The Annecy area attracts nearly 3 million visitors according to Savoie Mont Blanc Tourisme, creating unprecedented real estate pressure. The local economy, driven by more than 400 outdoor sports companies (Salomon, Scott, Millet), generates jobs that can no longer find affordable housing.
Sectors under pressure:
- Annecy center: continuous increase in price per m²
- Seynod: last "affordable" bastion near the train station
- Cran-Gevrier: industrial reconversion in progress
Annecy Real Estate Investment: New Challenges
The "Hirondelles" project by Cogedim, 780 housing units on the NTN Europe site, illustrates developers’ adaptation:
- 20% price-controlled housing
- More than 50% price-managed housing
- Anticipated integration of future PLUi constraints
Also read: Analysis of real estate prices in Annecy in 2025
PLUi Public Inquiry: Conclusions Pending
The public inquiry ended on June 27, 2025. The inquiry commission now has 30 days to issue its conclusions. The project may be modified based on expressed opinions before its passage in the Community Council scheduled for December 2025.
Stakes of December 2025 Approval
Greater Annecy will need to carry out "a complete review before submitting the final version during the December 2025 Community Council." If the document is not validated, the old PLUs (from each delegated municipality of Annecy, i.e., 6 PLUs) would continue to apply "with a significantly less restrictive framework" for building permits and protection of natural spaces.
Annecy Real Estate Programs: Forced Adaptation
Despite constraints, high-rise construction remains possible in certain Development and Programming Orientation (OAP) zones:
- Les Carrés: authorized urban densification
- Les Trois Fontaines: new mixed-use neighborhood
- Pré Billy: residential development
Also read: All new real estate programs in Annecy
Conclusion: A Territory at a Crossroads
"The future PLUi-HMB must respond to our territory's exceptional dynamism, organizing it by supporting it rather than damaging it," pleaded MEDEF Haute-Savoie, FPI Alps, and ACSL during the public inquiry.
While the inquiry commission's conclusions are expected by the end of July 2025, tensions remain high around this urban planning document.
Between ecological vision and economic realities, between preserving quality of life and housing needs, Greater Annecy's PLUi has crystallized all contemporary challenges of French urban planning. The outcome of the public inquiry and the December 2025 vote will determine whether Annecy can reconcile attractiveness and sustainability, or whether the lakeside city will have to choose sides.
Contact Lacs & Sommets for your real estate projects in Annecy and Greater Annecy, taking into account the new PLUi regulations.