May 27 - Dunkerque Port has been granted a local authority decree on protected species, which authorises the development of the Dunkerque Logistique International Sud (DLI-Sud) logistics park in the Loon-Plage district of the French gateway.
The DLI-Sud project involved the development of a multimodal area to host logistics businesses, which will cover 145.7 ha and be provided with road and rail links to meet the demands of industrialists in the sector.
Dunkerque Port explained that environmental considerations have been a key concern, and this will showcase the port's know-how when it comes to sustainable development of the industrial port area.
Almost 9 ha of existing natural environments that are home to fauna and flora have been protected through a project redesign. Outside the area, nearly 30 ha of diversified habitats will be recreated, including wetlands, meadows and woodlands, favourable to a wide range of plant and animal species.
The signing of a protected species decree marks a key stage in the development process of the DLI-Sud project. The public enquiry in progress will complete the project's administrative approval procedure and lead to the issuance of the 'water law' decree, which the French port says should allow development works to start at the beginning of 2016.
