Kladno wants to create a residential zone in the former Poldi

Kladno - Kladno wants to transform part of the former Poldi steelworks site into a residential zone. However, it must first carry out remediation of the contaminated area, which will take at least until 2020. The cost may rise to as much as 1.5 billion CZK. The Minister of the Environment, Tomáš Chalupa (ODS), said today during a visit to the area that the biggest problem will be the removal of burdens beneath the surface. According to him, the city must also complete the zoning plan, without which the former industrial zone cannot develop.
    The city aims to establish a residential zone in the area of the former Koněv steelworks. In the past, it commissioned a study for a smaller area that found that ecological burdens could pose long-term health risks to people. It has now announced a tender, from which the processor of the analysis of the entire area will emerge. Mayor Dan Jiránek (ODS) said today that the results of the study would be known no sooner than next year. Only then will revitalization begin, which, according to him, will require assistance from the state.
    According to Chalupa, the city can currently draw funds for monitoring the area and removing burdens from the state fund and the operational program Environment. "With respect to drawing financial resources, the latest deadline is 2015. Optimists say that by the end of 2013 or 2014, the actual ecological burden could be removed," Chalupa stated. According to Jiránek, the city will primarily seek funds due to time constraints in the next grant period, which ends in 2020.
    Chalupa also noted that the city still needs to resolve ownership relationships. "Usually, the settlement and unification of lands owned by several dozen owners is a problem that seems simple, but is often very complicated," Chalupa remarked. Jiránek commented in this context that the privatization of the former Poldi was poorly executed, as some of its parts are significantly fragmented in ownership. He acknowledged that some property issues also relate to parts where the residential zone should be.
    So far, the city has progressed the furthest with the Dříň area, where ČVUT is likely to begin construction of the University Center for Energy Efficient Buildings by the end of this year. The university's vice-rector, Miloslav Pavlík, told reporters today that the building will cost around 600 million CZK. "It will be a large testing hall where we will test structural systems, materials, envelope structures, or heating systems for buildings that will significantly reduce the energy demands of these buildings," Pavlík added.