ICOMOS does not like the planned construction of a residential district in Kutná Hora

Kutná Hora – The Czech National Committee of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ČNK ICOMOS) disagrees with the planned construction of a residential district in the Kutná Hora area of Malín. The project, located near a heritage site listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, contradicts UNESCO's recommendations on historic urban landscapes, stated the organization's spokesperson Jan Štoll in a press release today. The reaction from the development company Marlo KH is being sought by ČTK.

Opposition to the construction of the new district is also rising among some residents of Malín, who have organized a protest petition. They are particularly concerned about the planned construction of four thirteen-story buildings, which they believe do not belong in the area. The company defends the construction, claiming it is a modern ecological project that will benefit the city.

The president of ČNK ICOMOS, Václav Girsa, stated that the proposal contradicts UNESCO's recommendations on historic urban landscapes and other international documents, as well as the general requirements for landscape protection within the Czech legislative framework.

According to the committee, the project has serious shortcomings as it does not respect the historically preserved urban structure of the former village of Malín. "It ignores the visual relationships with the historical landmarks of the Kutná Hora urban conservation area, Sedlec, and landscape landmarks, as well as the proximity to the cultural landscape around the Nové Dvory and Kačina castles and any other historical and archaeological traces,” said the vice president of ČNK and member of international scientific committees of ICOMOS, Martin Horáček. The committee also described the architectural and urban quality of the proposal as highly questionable.

Architect Jiří Smolík dispels critics' concerns in a video presented by the developer. According to him, it is an airy solution that is better than attempting to maintain a constant height of nine to eleven-story apartment buildings located in the lower part of the city. "This overall height of multiple objects would result in the houses merging into one massive entity in distant views, appearing much more robust than our version of four slender and separate towers,” believes Smolík. He pointed out that by concentrating volume into taller buildings and minimizing the built-up area, a significant amount of recreational space and greenery is created.

Mayor Lukáš Seifert (ODS) previously stated that the city hall has limited options to influence uncontrolled construction in the city. He considers it a mistake that Kutná Hora lacks a regulatory plan in addition to its zoning plan. The zoning plan currently lacks height restrictions for Malín. Therefore, the city hall aims to prepare a regulatory plan for areas that are not adequately protected.