The extensions more 200 m2sont also regulated

The Act of December 31, 1969 is the first text to establish a screening procedure for the issuance of a permit to build stores more 3.000 m2. It creates the departmental business planning committees (CDUC) and the national commercial Planning Commission (CNUC) attribute them.

December 27, 1973 is voted the Royer law. This text strengthens the precedent by offering the CDUC power of decision and not just Advisory even as these committees bring together elected officials and professionals of the sector directly concerned. The text lowers to 1,500 m2le threshold of sales area subject to authorisation in the cities more 40,000 people and 1,000 m2dans Commons more small. The extensions more 200 m2sont also regulated. MEPs want to protect the small business against the exponential development of hypermarkets.

December 31, 1990 Doubin law is not on the size but introduced the concept of business together"to avoid, at the town entrances the proliferation of the"boxes"which the surface of 999 or 1.499 m2les provides authorization.

A component of the law on the prevention of corruption and the transformation of economic life and public procedures of 29 January 1993 FIR transforms the CDUC in CEDC: the departmental Commissions for commercial equipment together now 7 members instead of 20. All are elected with the exception of the representative of consumer associations. The votes are preference and the National Commission of commercial equipment is responsible for deciding local disputes.

Poorly applied texts

On 5 July 1996, the Raffarin law Toughens the previous texts that have failed to curb the development of hypermarkets or shopping centres. Permissions are granted in almost 80 of cases. The text freeze any construction for six months and lowering the thresholds for surfaces subjected to authorization to 300 m2. A change of sector of activity, a closed trade should be reopened in two years, even require a new authorisation. The law requires a public inquiry in the case of surfaces more opening of 6,000 m2et strengthens penalties for illegal construction. This text is in the midst of real estate crisis and has little effect on an already slow area.

Act, solidarity and urban renewal, known as Act CCS, of December 13, 2000, adds three new criteria review of passage of the projects: the impact on traffic, the quality of service in public transport and the capacity of the deliveries.

Finally, the law of modernization of the economy, LME, passed August 4, 2008, enhances to 1,000 m2les minimal surfaces subject to authorisation in the objective of the France in accordance with the regulatory European and the freedom of establishment enshrined in the Treaty of Rome of 1957. The text turns the CEDC in CDAC, departmental commissions for commercial development choice criteria change target: economic to ensure the balance of trade, they become territorial and require the hallmarks of sustainable development.

These texts have never failed to slow the development of shopping centres, including the annual authorizations rose from 1.7 million square metres in 1997 to more than 4 million in 2009. The next step could remove commissions requiring new projects to find their place in the common law documents, the local urban development plan (PLU) at the commune level and territorial coherence schemes (SCOT) across towns. It was the option advocated by the commission for Economic Affairs of the National Assembly and the Member Jean-Paul Charié prior to his disappearance in November 2009. It does not harvest the votes of the professionals, who see this as a threat: the opinion of a mayor, decisive in the case of a PLU, the opinion of many - and their possible opposition - in the case of a SCOT; inertia finally of planning documents, long to put in place then frozen for several years.