The main building authority in Prague could address constructions over 4000 meters

Prague - The central building authority for the capital city, the establishment of which is being considered by part of the Prague coalition, could decide on projects over 4,000 square meters of floor area. This corresponds to roughly a building with 50 apartments, thus only large constructions would fall under its jurisdiction. This was stated today by the first deputy mayor Petr Hlaváček (for TOP 09) at a workshop on Prague's construction industry. Currently, 22 building authorities make decisions in the capital, which should remain in place for smaller constructions. There is still no consensus in the coalition regarding the establishment of a central authority.

According to the United Forces for Prague's vision (TOP 09 and STAN), which advocate for this step, decisions should be made centrally not only about large buildings but also about roads, gas pipelines, and other infrastructure. Prague Sobě takes a reserved stance toward the proposal. Its leader Jan Čižinský previously stated that it is a risky move - if the authority operated effectively, it would be an efficient solution; however, if not, it could be catastrophic.

The United Forces argue that a central authority would expedite the permitting process for constructions, which is currently unacceptably long in Prague, according to builders. According to Hlaváček, appeals and lawsuits play a major role in the length of the permitting process, and more lawyers with better expertise would work at the central authority, capable of preparing decisions on larger projects in a way that is not easily challengeable and revocable.

The city can approve the establishment of a central building authority by modifying its statute. However, a change to the law would be necessary for the municipal office to again decide on any appeals against the decisions of the central authority, rather than the Ministry for Regional Development. According to the city leadership, this would be more appropriate. A proposal for an amendment to the law regarding the capital city in this sense was already submitted to the Chamber of Deputies by Prague MP Petr Dolínek (ČSSD). However, the government did not support it, arguing that it is not in accordance with the forthcoming new building law.