“It was economic sabotage”: near Saintes, the ghost Leroy Merlin will finally be able to open

“Favorable opinion”. This Thursday, in Paris, the CNAC (National Commercial Development Commission) finally validated the Leroy Merlin project in Saint-Georges-des-Coteaux, near Saintes (Charente-Maritime). This decision was awaited with some excitement in this sub-prefecture, the store concerned having been completed and ready to open since last fall.

Recruited, trained and already on the job, nearly 110 employees have been waiting for the green light from the CNAC after a negative opinion delivered on November 13, 2025. At the time, this unfavorable decision was experienced as a cold shower and had forced Leroy Merlin to correct for the umpteenth time the plans for a project outlined in 2008.

The reduced parking area

To be on track and comply with the law, the group belonging to the Mulliez family had to give up its “goods removal zone” to transform it into a “pro space” reserved only for local professionals and craftsmen. The parking area was also reduced by 1,150 m2. Under these conditions, the CNAC contacted by two competing brands (M. Bricolage and Intermarché) judged that this store costing more than 20 million euros finally complied with commercial and urban planning requirements.

Present this Thursday in Paris to defend the project alongside representatives of Leroy Merlin, the mayor of Saint-Georges-des-Coteaux Frédéric Rouan says he is “happy, relieved and satisfied”. Member of Parliament (PS) for Saintes, Fabrice Barusseau did not fail to react by welcoming “an encouraging perspective to support local employment”. Mayor (Horizons) of Saintes and president of the Saintes conurbation, Bruno Drapron had sharply criticized the unfavorable decision in November, referring to “economic sabotage”.

Competitors still have their say

The elected official who once gave lip service to this project has since become a fierce defender of the Leroy Merlin group. “This success is that of the elected officials of the territory who have continued to work alongside Leroy Merlin despite repeated frustrations,” he tells us today. Contacted, the Leroy Merlin group shows a modest victory, says it is “delighted” with the CNAC’s decision “but cannot yet specify the opening date “at this stage”.

Bruno Drapron explains “that we still have to wait for the official notification from the CNAC and the safety visit”. Two steps which, even if carried out at full speed, could require several weeks of patience. Please note: competing brands still have the possibility of contesting Leroy Merlin’s project in cassation, which this time will not prevent the opening of the brand new store.