The mayor of Paris wins legal action against the “dark stores”

The Council of State ruled on Thursday March 23 that “dark stores” were warehouses within the meaning of the town planning code and the local Parisian town plan. He thus sided with the mayor of Paris in the dispute between him and Frichti and Gorillas.

These “dark stores” are premises where these fast delivery companies store everyday products, the same as in a city center convenience store (food, toilet paper, shampoo, etc.), to deliver them quickly to users of their applications.

But this activity is criticized by many elected officials around the world, who denounce pell-mell the arrival of “warehouse towns”nuisances for local residents due to the comings and goings of scooters and delivery people, even “lazy economy”.

Paris declares victory

The mayor of Paris had turned against several “dark stores” installed in premises which until then housed traditional businesses, accusing them of not having declared their activity as warehouses. Minutes were drawn up. Frichti and Gorillas contested and won a first legal battle in October 2022.

However, the Court of Appeal ultimately found that they “should have filed a declaration with the town hall to use as ‘dark stores’ premises which were originally traditional businesses”.

PS Mayor Anne Hidalgo’s deputy for urban planning, Emmanuel Grégoire, shouted « Victoire ! » on Twitter.

“Unauthorized change of activity”

In October, the administrative court had suspended nine reports of infringements of the town planning code issued by the town hall of Paris by summary procedure, recognizing them as “collective interest” because allowing “to optimize delivery times and methods in urban areas” and therefore of “reduce truck traffic and the number of delivery points in intramural Paris”.

The Council of State considered Thursday that there had indeed been “an unauthorized change of activity” and canceled the suspension of the judge in chambers. “These premises store goods to quickly deliver customers and are no longer intended for direct sale within the meaning of the town planning code”, he estimated. They do not fall “not in the category “buildings and installations necessary for public services or of collective interest” in the Paris PLU”.