Prague - The Prague Institute of Planning and Development (IPR) has begun searching for a new head of the group preparing the new metropolitan plan. IPR announced a selection process to fill this position. Ondřej Boháč, who is in charge of IPR, said today. The group dealing with the metropolitan plan has lost 13 out of 15 experts, including the lead architect Roman Koucký. Interested candidates can apply until the end of November.
IPR is a contributory organization of Prague, which is responsible for, among other things, urban planning. "Work is not standing still, but significant steps must wait for the new head of the team," said Boháč. Deputy Mayor Petra Kolínská (SZ/Trojkoalice) said today at a city council meeting for urban development that the team hopes to be complete by Christmas at the latest.
The original head of the team, architect Koucký, was dismissed along with director Petr Hlaváček. The team of experts reacted by submitting 13 resignations. IPR has not yet announced selection processes for new team members. "We need to have a leader first, then we will start building the team," said Boháč.
Hlaváček was dismissed by the city leadership in September this year. According to Kolínská, the reason was the delay in the work on the metropolitan plan and Hlaváček's reluctance to dismiss Koucký. Prague's TOP 09 then called for Kolínská's resignation. "The dismissal of director Hlaváček contributes to creating an unprecedentedly pro-corruption environment and chaotic development of Prague. Even after several postponements, Prague will not have a land-use plan. Therefore, we call on Petra Kolínská to resign," stated then-chairman of the TOP 09 council Václav Novotný. The decision was criticized not only by opposition councilors but also by several experts, including architects Martin Rajniš and Jakub Cigler.
The institute's task is, among other things, to prepare a new land-use plan and plan the city's development. Its annual budget is about 300 million crowns.