HISTORY
" I always believed in the airport project and I always supported it, convinced it would provide a much needed infrastructure , and a catalyst for development" Mr. Jean-Louis NESTI, President of the Brive-Souillac syndicate, Brive-Dordogne Valley Airport
The original Brive Laroche airport was no longer suitable for modern air traffic, nor was it within the security norms in force. It seemed inevitable that the numerous problems it faced both in terms of development and working conditions, meant that its structure could never be viable. So from 1983 the search began for a new locality. The Civil Aviation Authority chose the site at Nespouls/Cressensac, 15 minutes from the Brive agglomeration by the A20 motorway.
Key Figures :
• 20 years of study, reflection and creation
• 20 procedures before construction could begin
• 5 years of construction
• 48.7 millions of investment
• 2.800.000m3 of excavations
• 200 hectares of expropriated land
• 13 financial partners
The Criteria for the Site :
• Situated at the heart of 3 departments: the Corrèze, the Lot and the Dordogne, and of 3 regions: the Limousin, the Midi-Pyrénées and the Aquitaine,
• At the crossroads of the A20 and A89 motorways
• Generally favourable weather conditions, in particular the absence of fog
• A favourable topography and excellent accessibility
The Brive-Dordogne Valley Airport’s assets :
• A 2100 metre long runway adapted for aircraft such as the AIRBUS A320 and BOEING 737
• An eventual capacity for 150 000 passengers a year
• Air links to the European capital cities
• Easy and fast road links to the major towns of the Corrèze, the Lot and the Dordogne in under 30 minutes.
| October 1988 : | After 5 years of research to find a site, the syndicate for the creation of the airport was drawn up on the impetus of the mayor of Brive, Jean Charbonnel and of Souillac, Alain Chastagnol. Jean Charbonnel was elected President of the Syndicate |
| Jully 1992 : | An inter-prefectoral decree declares the project to be of public interest.. |
| February 1993 : | A decree for the creation and protocol of the site signed by the syndicate, Brive town and the Government, represented by the Finance Minister, Martin Malvy |
| September 1995 : | Roland Migot is elected President of the syndicate |
| June 1997 : | Prorogation of the DUP. |
| October 1998 : | The Mayor of Brive Bernard Murat requests the syndicate to begin drawing up the dossiers related to the ground plan, the general plan and the noise levels plan. |
| October 2000 : | The Conseil Géneral of the Corrèze , with JP Dupont as President, is the first to agree to fund the project for 6.240 million euros. |
| April 2001 : | Jean-Pierre Tronche is elected President of the syndicate |
| June 2001 : | The Conseil Régional of the Limousin, with R. Savy as President agrees first to contribute 3,811 million euros , then a final sum of 4,611 million euros. |
| September 2001 : | Frédéric Soulier is elected President of the Syndicate. |
| 2001 : | Philippe Jean, President of the Brive Chamber of Commerce launches a study to update the project |
| March 2002 : | The Community for the Agglomeration of Brive, with Bernard Murat as President agrees to put up 7,217 million euros and joins the Syndicate. |
| July 2002 : | The town of Terrasson with Pierre Delmon as mayor, joins the project. |
| November 2003 : | The Conseil Genéral de la Corrèze joins the syndicate and with the addition of funds from Europe the project is viable |
| July 2005 : | The syndicate is modified to become the Syndicat Mixte d'Exploitation Brive Souillac |
| October 2005 : | The official launch of excavation works. |
| October 2005 - April 2007 : | Excavation works to level the airport area. |
| April 2007 - December 2008 : | Aeronautical infrastructures: roadways, runway – drainage |
| April 2008 : | Jean-Louis NESTI elected President of the syndicate. |
| January 2009 - June 2010 : | Building construction. Aeronautical infrastructure: electricity, lighting. |
| June 2010 : | Brive Dordogne Valley Airport opens |
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