Rennes has completed Plaisance, a 5-hectare district in the north of the city between the cemetery and the River Ille, where 360 homes have been delivered. The development zone was delivered and closed in summer 2026, and the district was inaugurated on 26 September 2026. The project is part of the city’s aim to reconnect Rennes with its river, and the city ran it as its own developer.
A mix of homes
The homes are deliberately varied to support social mix, in line with the Rennes Métropole Local Housing Programme (PLH). Buildings have one to five storeys, and every home has a balcony, terrace or garden. Underground parking is used throughout to leave space for public areas. Design choices include mainly timber facades, low-energy buildings and geothermal heating, and the Espacil Habitat homes in the main block carry the PassivHaus label.
| Tenure | Homes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Market sale | 154 | 43% |
| Social rental (Espacil Habitat) | 82 | 23% |
| Assisted ownership (BRS lease) | 49 | 14% |
| Price-controlled ownership | 39 (11 cooperative) | 10% |
| Assisted ownership (PSLA) | 19 | 5% |
| Intermediate rental | 17 | 5% |
Public spaces and flood protection
City and metropolitan services created 15,000 m² of public space. The canal towpath is a segment of the Réseau Express Vélo cycle network leading to Saint-Grégoire. Two footbridges, delivered in 2020, cross the canal to the Saint-Martin meadows and the Armorique zone. In total, 6,500 m² of tree-planted space was laid out, including the Marguerite-Durand square with a shared vegetable garden and the Lounès-Matoub garden. All these spaces were designed to protect homes in case of flooding.
How the city ran and paid for it
The city acted as developer itself, without using a development concession. This meant it bought the land and steered the investment. The zone represents an overall investment of 15 million euros, fully funded by the city. Developing the site and selling some plots to property developers covered 10 million euros of that cost. With the zone closed, ordinary planning rules, in particular the Local Urban Plan (PLU), now apply.
Twenty years of work
- 2005: first council decision to launch studies and consultation
- 2014: first construction site, after land acquisition
- 2016: first phase delivered, with more than 100 homes
- 2020: second phase works begin
- Summer 2026: delivery and closure of the zone