Brno will decide by the end of the year how to create a new urban plan

Brno - By the end of this year, the leadership of Brno and the city council should decide whether to embark on the path of creating a completely new spatial plan or continue with the current one, which was put on hold in 2013 due to the lack of regional principles for spatial development. The difference in the completion of these variants could be one to two years, said Martin Ander (SZ), the deputy mayor, to ČTK today. According to him, Brno could thus have a new spatial plan around 2021 or 2022.

In order for the councilors to make their decision, the Office of the City Architect of Brno (KAM) is working independently on a so-called vision for the spatial development of the city, and the Department of Spatial Planning and Development is working on completing the guidelines for the draft spatial plan. "Their work will be useful for both variants. The decision about it is rather a procedural matter. Even if we create a completely new spatial plan, we will not start from scratch," Ander stated.

KAM is looking for ways to utilize spaces in the city and is monitoring its sustainable development in its vision. It is gradually finishing up and today started discussions with the public in the city districts. The Department of Spatial Planning must complete the guidelines for the preparation of the draft spatial plan. This is necessary if they continue with the ongoing spatial plan. At the same time, it will provide answers to the issues that the councilors must decide on. "This includes decisions on whether the city should continue to expand in its outskirts into fields in Líšeň behind Holzová Street, whether the Juranka area should be built up. Transportation in the center and the so-called new urban avenue must be resolved, which is a four-lane road planned for more than 15 years, for which massive demolition would have to take place in Traubova, Příční, and further toward Zvonařka. The issue of tunnels under Úvoz and the nature of the north-south diameter must also be resolved. Whether it will be railway, tram, or hybrid and whether it will connect to the railway in the north at Hradecká Street or lead as a tram to Bystrc," Ander listed the unresolved problems.

After finishing this document, the city will have a legal analysis prepared to determine which variant of the spatial plan creation is safer. "The goal is to make the new spatial plan as difficult to challenge in court as possible," explained Ander. The city can have the old spatial plan until 2020; according to the discussed amendment to the law, the deadline could be extended to 2022, as approved by the deputies.

Meanwhile, the city is preparing an update of the valid spatial plan to meet current demands before the new plan is ready. The city has assigned a package of several hundred local changes. "However, we have not been able to find a preparer. We would like to assign the preparation of these changes by the latest during the holidays. If no one comes forward, KAM would be tasked with it," said Ander. The package addresses changes in the use of some areas, typically the possibility of converting brownfields into residential areas. Simultaneously, partial changes of a citywide nature are being prepared.

"In this case, it often concerns the use of brownfields, such as the Zbrojovka, the Zetoru motor plant, or the Jaselská barracks. Furthermore, it includes the Kaménky area or the Moravanské lán area, where development opportunities are possible," Ander stated. The planned changes should ideally be valid by 2019.