IPR will submit a proposal for the metropolitan plan to Prague by the end of September

Prague - The Institute of Planning and Development (IPR) will submit a proposal for a metropolitan plan to Prague by the end of this September. The proposal will be discussed with city districts and state administration in March 2018. This was stated today by Deputy Mayor Petra Kolínská (SZ/Trojkoalice) to reporters. The council will approve the preparation schedule at Tuesday's meeting. The metropolitan plan could be approved in 2022 and is set to take effect from January 1, 2023. All construction in Prague will adhere to this plan.

"Every citizen of Prague can express their opinion on the proposal for the new zoning plan. We will take the comments seriously, and therefore it will take longer to address them. We want to avoid legal disputes and fare well in any possible court review. We want to fairly address the views of landowners and their neighbors," said Kolínská.

Prague residents will be able to familiarize themselves with the proposal at mobile kiosks. These will be foldable stalls that will be distributed throughout the territory of Prague. Kolínská did not specify how many there will be in total.

Prague was supposed to have a new plan by 2020, but this deadline will not be met. According to Kolínská, the Chamber of Deputies has therefore extended the validity of the current plans until 2022 as part of the amendment to the building law. "It is not just because of Prague; many other cities are in the same situation," she said.

The creation of the new plan began in the last electoral term under Mayor Tomáš Hudeček (then TOP 09). The zoning plan determines where construction is permitted and where public spaces or greenery will remain. The metropolitan plan is also expected to introduce height regulations for buildings. Its preparation has previously been criticized by representatives of some municipalities, experts, and conservationists.