The city of Paris canceled plans to build new complexes around the base of the Eiffel Tower, officials said Saturday, following protests from environmentalists.
Under the nixed plan, 20 trees would have been cut down to make room for four new buildings, consisting of a new cafe, shops, two restrooms, and a baggage area.
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“I am announcing that we are completely canceling any construction project at the foot of the tower but the re-landscaping is maintained,” Deputy Mayor Emmanuel Gregoire told the Journal du Dimanche. “We are not giving into pressure but we would like that the project is not overshadowed by controversy. Let’s just say that we are removing some of the friction.”
The construction was part of a larger landscaping project that would cut back on the traffic around the landmark. Approximately 133 acres surrounding the tower will still be designated for low-impact vehicles, such as buses and bikes, and walking pedestrians. New shrubs and grass will also be planted in the parks ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics.
A protest against cutting down the trees to make room for the construction was held earlier this year and saw environmental groups threaten a hunger strike, chaining themselves to the trees near the tower. Thomas Brail, founder of the National Surveillance Group for Trees, participated in the protests by chaining himself to a 208-year-old tree for a week.
“We’re satisfied for now but we remain vigilant,” Brail said of the latest announcement, according to AFP.
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Approximately 150,000 people visit the tower each day during the peak summer season, per the report, including 20,000 to 30,000 people who climb the tower. Seven million people are estimated to visit the tower each year, a number that is expected to rise during the Olympics.
