Agence d’Urbanisme Catalane

What Agence d’Urbanisme Catalane does

Agence d'Urbanisme Catalane (AURCA) is a French non-profit public urban planning agency (association multi-partenariale) headquartered in Perpignan, serving the Catalan territory of southern France (Pyrénées-Orientales department, with extension into Aude and Hérault) and operating cross-border into Girona province, Spain. Founded in 2007, the agency functions as a shared technical interface between member municipalities, intercommunal structures (EPCI), the Conseil Départemental des Pyrénées-Orientales, the Région Occitanie, EPF Occitanie, ADEME, the French State, and European partners. Its core activity is "ingénierie partenariale": providing small and mid-sized communes with planning engineering they cannot afford internally, including SCOT and PLUi elaboration and revision, urban strategies, center-bourg revitalization, and participatory planning.

AURCA's core technical platform combines GIS (including mobile field tablets under the SIG Mobile program), web-based interactive project cartography, satellite remote sensing (notably thermal infrared imagery for urban heat island identification), and a suite of sectoral territorial observatories — ObsCat (44 km of Catalan sandy coastline erosion and submersion), OTRI (water risks across four watersheds), OCSID (interdepartmental land use), ODH (housing), plus transportation. The agency publishes bimonthly 'La Lettre de l'Agence' (formerly 'La Lettre de l'Observatoire Territorial'), organizes annual Rencontres de l'Agence (~60 attendees), JASIG GIS Actors Day (16th edition June 2026), JA Obs' conferences, and 'Matinada' morning exchanges with elected officials. It coordinates three European projects (DUAL, VIA MEDITERRA SANA, Hydroscopia), launched the rural engineering AMI for 12 communes in 2025, hosts the 18-month national FNAU cycle on 'Littoraux & Estuaires en transition', and is co-signatory of the Saint-Charles 2040 PPA.

Revenue is generated through three streams documented in the source: (1) recurring membership contributions from the 40+ partner public institutions (the core base); (2) co-financed public project contracts — drawing on FNADT, FEDER/POCTEFA, Region, Department, EPF, ADEME and Banque des Territoires funding (the EsCaT first call alone is endowed with 2.2 M€ at 65% FEDER co-financing); and (3) paid technical studies and consulting for public entities (SCOT/PLUi support, urban strategies, animation). Pricing is not publicly disclosed; there is no commercial product sales motion. The agency is governed as a multi-partner association with Pascal Fourcade serving as Directeur.

Name

Agence d’Urbanisme Catalane

Legal name

Agence d'Urbanisme Catalane

Website

https://aurca.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Agence d'Urbanisme Catalane (AURCA) is a non-profit public urban planning agency in Perpignan providing GIS, territorial observatories, SCOT/PLUi planning, and project engineering to municipalities, EPCIs, and public partners across the Pyrénées-Orientales, Aude, Hérault, and cross-border Catalonia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Urban Planning Services

NAICS

Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (925120), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925), International Affairs (92812)

SIC

Land Subdividers & Developers (No Cemeteries) (6552), International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

Permitting Strategy, Applications & Agency Negotiation (EUAHAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Architecture, Planning & Surveying (AIA, Planning, Land Surveyor CE) (EDAAALAG)

Keywords

• Urban planning studies
• Territorial observation
• Cross-border cooperation
• Strategic planning support
• Network animation

Headquarters

HQ city

Perpignan

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Contributions from Public Partners: AURCA is a multi-partner public agency ('ingénierie partenariale') funded through contributions from its member organizations, which include municipalities, intercommunal structures (EPCI), the Conseil Départemental, the Région Occitanie, public institutions, and chambers of commerce. Partner contributions form the core funding base.
2. Co-Financed Public Project Contracts: The agency secures project-specific funding from multiple public co-financier partners including the French State (via FNADT), Région Occitanie, Conseil Départemental des Pyrénées-Orientales, EPF Occitanie, ADEME, Banque des Territoires, and EU funds (FEDER via POCTEFA/EsCaT). Projects include European initiatives (DUAL, VIA MEDITERRA SANA, Hydroscopia), rural engineering programs, and cross-border cooperation.
3. Technical Studies and Consulting Services: AURCA carries out paid technical studies and urban planning missions for member and non-member public entities, including SCOT elaboration support, PLUi drafting assistance, urban strategies, and project support for municipalities. Revenue is generated through service contracts with public sector clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

AURCA provides urban planning engineering, territorial observation, and strategic planning services to public sector clients in the Catalan cross-border territory. The agency delivers SCOT and PLUi planning document support, urban strategies and project consulting, sectoral observatories (housing, coastal erosion, water risks, land use, transportation), cross-border cooperation programs, and network animation services. It operates as a shared engineering interface for over 40 public institution members including municipalities, intercommunal structures, departments, and regions.

Product overview

Agence d'Urbanisme Catalane (AURCA) is a public urban planning agency serving the Catalan territory (Pyrénées-Orientales department). The organization operates as a unified agency offering integrated urban planning services organized around several interconnected domains: territorial observation (through the Observatoire Territorial and OBSCAT coastal observatory), strategic planning (SCOT/PLUi development), urban projects, cross-border cooperation, and network animation. Key products include the bimonthly 'Lettre de l'Agence' publication and interactive project mapping tools. The agency also manages multiple European projects (DUAL, VIA MEDITERRA SANA, Hydroscopia) and provides specialized training tools like Play-ZAN for Zero Net Land Take implementation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ObsCat: Observatoire du trait de côte catalan - coastal erosion and marine submersion observatory covering 44km of Catalan sandy coastline
• ObsCAT
• OCSID
• OTRI

Products and services

• Observatoire Territorial (Territorial Observatory) Territorial observation service providing data, studies, and monitoring on urban development, demographics, land use, and environmental trends across the Catalan territory for public sector clients.
• OBSCAT (Observatoire du trait de côte catalan) Catalan coastal observatory monitoring coastal erosion and marine submersion risks along the 44km sandy coastline from Cap Leucate to Racou, providing climate adaptation data for territorial planning.
• Stratégies et Projets Urbains Urban strategies and projects consulting service helping municipalities develop and implement urban development projects, including revitalizing town centers and managing public spaces.
• Stratégies Territoriales et Planification (SCOT et PLUi) Territorial strategies and planning services including development and revision of SCOT (Schéma de Cohérence Territoriale) and PLUi (Plan Local d'Urbanisme intercommunal) planning documents for municipalities and intercommunal structures.
• Cross-Border Cooperation Services (Transfrontalier) Cross-border cooperation services facilitating collaboration between French and Spanish/Catalan territories, including project coordination and joint planning initiatives under the EsCaT functional area framework.
• Animation & Réseaux (Network Animation Services) Network animation and coordination services including organizing workshops, training sessions, conferences (Rencontres de l'Agence, JASIG, JA Obs', Matinada), and facilitating exchanges between territorial actors and elected officials.
• Dispositif AMI Ingénierie des Communes Rurales Multi-partner partnership program supporting small rural communes with engineering expertise, including building rehabilitation, village entrance design, public space de-impermeabilization, and inclusive housing, co-financed by the state through FNADT and involving multiple institutional partners.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3455 land use data corrections submitted covering 192 of 226 communes in the department
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship, major and minor.

• FNAU — Fédération Nationale des Agencies d'UrbanismecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026AURCA is an active member of FNAU, the national federation of French urban planning agencies. Participation includes national working groups (e.g., the 18-month 'Littoraux & Estuaires en Transition' cycle), joint publications (e.g., renaturation study with ADEME, FédéSCoT), national encounters, and the Club Géomatique FNAU. FNAU provides AURCA with national visibility, peer knowledge sharing, and access to coordinated policy positions on urban planning and climate adaptation.
• Département des Pyrénées-Orientales, Diputació de Girona, Generalitat de CatalunyaflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024These three institutional authorities jointly launched the 'Espace Catalan Transfrontalier' (EsCaT) functional area covering the Pyrénées-Orientales and the province of Gérone. The initiative aims to implement the EU objective of bringing Europe closer to citizens by focusing on cross-border cooperation frameworks, climate adaptation, and cross-border citizenship. AURCA is actively involved in animating and developing projects within this framework, including a first call for projects endowed with 2.2 M€.
• CD66 (Conseil Départemental des Pyrénées-Orientales) and Generalitat de CatalunyamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2022CD66 and the Generalitat de Catalunya jointly operate a micro-projects fund supporting cross-border cooperation between Northern and Southern Catalonia. AURCA was awarded this micro-project funding to organize a cross-border workshop on small village development (fewer than 500 inhabitants), bringing together technicians and mayors from the cross-border Catalan space.
• AMF66 (Association des Maires et Présidents de Communautés des Pyrénées-Orientales)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAMF66 co-initiated and co-pilots the rural engineering AMI with AURCA, bringing mayors' institutional representation and political legitimacy to the multi-partner initiative. AMF66 and AURCA also collaborate on elected official training programs on urban planning challenges.
• Région Occitanie, Conseil Départemental des Pyrénées-Orientales, EPF Occitanie, CAUE 66, SYDEEL, PNRmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThese public institutions co-finance and co-animate the rural engineering AMI initiative alongside AURCA and AMF66. Each brings specific expertise: Region (funding), Department (territorial knowledge), EPF (land management), CAUE (architecture and urban planning advice), SYDEEL (economic development), and PNR (natural parks expertise). Twelve communes were retained for the 2025 experimental phase.
• Coll'Oc Network (Agencies of Toulouse and Nîmes-Alès)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAURCA participates in the Coll'Oc network alongside the agencies of Toulouse (AUAT) and Nîmes-Alès, conducting interregional and cross-border demographic trajectory studies. A Catalan language version (Lletra) of the territorial observatory letter was produced collaboratively, supporting cross-border knowledge sharing and cooperation.
• Collège des Architectes de CatalogneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the Catalan Architects' College enables AURCA to deliver cross-border workshops on small village development, combining urban planning and architectural expertise from both sides of the border.
• CAUE 66 (Conseil en Architecture, Urbanisme et Environnement des Pyrénées-Orientales)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAUE 66 and AURCA operate as complementary public service structures serving local planning projects, with CAUE providing architectural and environmental education expertise alongside AURCA's urban planning capabilities. Both are co-partners in rural engineering initiatives.
• État, Perpignan Méditerranée Métropole, Saint-Charles International, Ville de Perpignan, Région Occitanie, Conseil Départemental 66, CCI, SNCF Réseau, EPF Occitanie, ADEME, Banque des TerritoiresflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThis broad multi-partner consortium signed the Projet Partenarial d'Aménagement (PPA) Saint-Charles 2040, a major operational project for the European fruit and vegetable logistics platform. AURCA contributes technical expertise, particularly for the landscape plan guide. Partners include French State, PMM, regional and departmental authorities, economic actors, infrastructure operators, and public financial institutions.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Agence de Développement et d'Urbanisme de l'Agglomération Strasbourgeoise (ADEUS): ADEUS is one of the largest French urban planning agencies, providing SCOT/PLUi support, territorial observatories, and strategic studies for the Strasbourg Eurométropole. It is a directly comparable FNAU member with the same multi-partner public agency model as AURCA.
• Agence d'Urbanisme et de Développement de Metz (AGURAM): AGURAM serves the Metz metropolitan area with the same French 'agence d'urbanisme' mandate: SCOT/PLUi studies, territorial observation, and engineering support for member municipalities. It is a structurally identical peer to AURCA within the FNAU federation.
• Agence de Développement et d'Urbanisme des Hauts-de-France (ADAUHR): ADAUHR is a French urban planning agency serving the Hauts-de-France region, providing SCOT/PLUi studies, territorial observatories, and engineering support for member municipalities. It operates under the same FNAU multi-partner public agency model as AURCA.
• Agence d'Urbanisme de l'Agglomération de Tours (ATU): ATU provides urban planning, territorial strategy, and engineering support to municipalities in the Tours metropolitan area. It is a structurally comparable French FNAU member agency operating under the same multi-partner public agency model as AURCA.
• Agence d'Urbanisme de Nîmes-Alès: The Nîmes-Alès urban planning agency is a direct peer to AURCA within the FNAU national network and a fellow member of the Coll'Oc interregional grouping. AURCA and the Nîmes-Alès agency jointly produce cross-border versions of observatory publications, evidencing identical operating models serving comparable territories.
• Agence d'Urbanisme Atlantique & Pyrénées (AUDAP): AUDAP provides urban planning, territorial strategy, and observation services across the Pays de l'Adour and Bayonne-Biarritz area. It is a directly comparable FNAU member offering SCOT/PLUi support and territorial observatories with the same multi-partner governance model as AURCA.
• Agence d'Urbanisme et d'Aménagement Toulouse aire métropolitaine (AUAT): AUAT is the French urban planning agency serving the Toulouse metropolitan area and is a member of FNAU alongside AURCA. AURCA explicitly collaborates with AUAT through the Coll'Oc interregional network, making them direct peers in the French 'agence d'urbanisme' model with shared service offerings (SCOT/PLUi, observatories, network animation).
• Agence d'urbanisme de la région marseillaise (AGAM): AGAM serves the Marseille metropolitan area with strategic planning, SCOT/PLUi support, and territorial observatories. It is a directly comparable French urban planning agency operating under the same FNAU multi-partner public agency model as AURCA.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aurca66
• Facebookfacebook.com/aurca66

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Agence d’Urbanisme Catalane