Polička wants to buy an abandoned cow shed and use the land for the construction of apartments.

Polička - The town of Polička in the Svitavy region is negotiating the purchase of an abandoned cow barn and calf house; on four hectares, it would be possible to build dozens of apartments. Currently, there is a shortage of them in the town, with demand exceeding supply. This was stated by Mayor Jaroslav Martinů (ODS) to ČTK.

"We cannot ensure all construction from the position of the town; we do not have the money for that. But we can buy land, install infrastructure, and attract developers; companies that operate here also want to build apartments to have them for their employees," Martinů said.

The site of the former cow barn and calf house on Družstevní street has been abandoned for several years. The town is trying to purchase the land from the owners. According to architects, it could accommodate eight apartment buildings with 12 apartments each and several dozen plots for family houses.

"It is in one of the most beautiful locations, with views of the countryside, the church, the town hall, and the former Balda spa. There are about ten owners, and we have been negotiating for two months. We could soon acquire the site into ownership," said the mayor.

The town wants to purchase the land only after the demolition of the buildings. The main owner of the site will then either sell the land to the town hall or exchange it for other lands. The mayor estimates that one square meter will cost around 1500 crowns. The town hall also needs to change the zoning plan to allow for residential construction, as the area is currently designated for agricultural production.

According to the mayor, Polička has built around 60 apartments over the past five years; more than half of them remain in the town's ownership and are rental units. Over two decades, the town hall prepared 200 plots for the construction of family houses. The demand for housing continues.

Businesses want to hire new employees and need to offer them apartments as well. This week, the council approved the sale of the former children's home to the arms company STV Group; according to the town's project, the company will build 32 apartments for its employees there. The company KOH-I-NOOR Ponas, which also operates in Polička, has expressed interest in the land and residential construction, the mayor stated.