Investor appealed against the cancellation of the decision for "marshmallow"

Prague - The company Praga Progetti e Investimenti has appealed against the cancellation of the zoning decision for the new building on U Milosrdných street nicknamed "marshmallow." According to the building authority of the Prague city hall, the construction permit was granted in violation of the building law. Hundreds of people protested against the building, which is to be constructed in close proximity to the Anežský monastery in the center of Prague, and a petition was also created.
    "The contested decision is clearly illegal. This illegality reaches such an intensity that it can be described as an expression of certain arbitrariness, an abuse of public authority, and a deliberate violation of legal regulations," states the appeal, which ČTK has at its disposal. According to it, the same matter was decided by the Ministry of Regional Development, which rejected the appeal in favor of the investor.
    Last week, the city hall stated in its decision that there was a violation of the building law because not all the requirements of the zoning decision were met. "The relevant zoning decision does not contain certain requisites, such as the type of land, distances from neighboring buildings, a sufficiently clear and understandable description of the shape of the building, and the definition of the area affected by the influence of the construction," it is written in its decision.
    The city hall also considers it illegal that some documents for the decision were issued for the originally reviewed documentation, which has since changed. This includes, for example, the opinions of environmental authorities. Part of the building is also to be constructed on the property of the National Gallery, but the investor does not have its valid consent.
    The project, which people call marshmallow due to the allegedly proposed color of the façade, evokes strong emotions in Prague. The author of the design rejects the criticisms of the opponents, claiming he never considered a façade in pink color, which gave rise to the nicknames related to the pink-and-white candy. In the past, hundreds of people gathered in the city center in protest against the construction. Associations and residents of nearby houses are upset that some permits were issued many years ago for a house that was supposed to look different. They also criticize the unsuitability of the construction for the historical center of Prague and its immediate proximity to the Anežský monastery.
    The house was designed by architect Zdeněk Fránek, and the project has changed several times. The original version of the project from 2008, which included a glass façade, was rejected by the Ministry of Culture based on the opinion of the National Heritage Institute (NPÚ), which revoked the permit from Prague's heritage authorities in 2010. However, the new project by Praga Progetti e Investimenti with windows shaped like faces was approved by both the NPÚ and the heritage authorities of the city hall, and on this basis, the building permit was issued.