Opposition ProOlomouc requested the region for a building closure in Olomouc

The court lifted the height regulation of buildings near the center of Olomouc on December 31 of last year. The city now wants to use the building ban to buy time for its additional amendment in the zoning plan, which has already been delayed since last year. Without the building ban, the preparation for the construction of the 75-meter high Šantovka Tower could continue, despite the fact that the new zoning plan does not account for high-rise buildings in the protective zone of the city heritage reserve.

However, the investor raised objections against the pending building ban. Therefore, the council preferred to have a legal analysis prepared to avoid the risk of losing court disputes, which meant delaying the announcement of the building ban. The investor previously announced that it would legally oppose the ban.

The chairman of ProOlomouc, Tomáš Pejpek, told reporters today that the city heritage reserve currently has no protection against the construction of a high-rise building on the site of the former Milo company. According to him, the investor is likely continuing with the preparation of the Šantovka Tower project. "We have therefore submitted (to the regional office) a petition for the review of the inactivity of the Olomouc city council and a petition for the announcement of a building ban within the delegated powers of the Olomouc Region council," he stated.

David Helcel from ProOlomouc pointed out that the building law allows the regional council to declare a building ban instead of the city council in similar cases. "It is an exceptional solution, but legally possible," said Helcel. The regional office has 60 days to make a decision.

According to ProOlomouc, the Olomouc building authority has halted the territorial proceedings for the Šantovka Tower project. The investor of the high-rise building, who lacks statements from some state administration bodies or network managers, has appealed against this to the regional office. "However, a building ban is necessary because everything can be completed within a few months," Helcel stated.

The mayor's deputy, Aleš Jakubec (TOP 09), told ČTK that the city hall is not delaying the preparation of the ban. It has contacted two law firms for an analysis. "We already have one analysis, the second will be next week. Then I will propose further steps to the council," he added.

The court gave the city hall until the end of last year to justify the permitted height of buildings in the new zoning plan again and better. However, the preparation of the amendment of the zoning plan has been delayed by several months, so since the New Year, height limits have ceased to apply. Therefore, the city hall developed a proposal for a building ban, which is to apply to the land in the area of the former Milo company and nearby barracks, where the construction of the Šantovka Tower is planned.

The Šantovka Tower has been a topic of heated discussion in Olomouc for a long time. Heritage conservationists and some experts oppose its construction, arguing that Šantovka Tower may damage the historical panorama of Olomouc. The investor holds an opposite view.