Praha 3 will request a change to the zoning plan for the freight station

Prague - Prague 3 will request a change in the zoning plan for the land with the freight station building. It wants to change its use from railway to cultural-educational. The mayor of Prague 3, Vladislava Hujová, told reporters today. The freight station has not served transportation for almost 15 years; a new residential district is expected to be built in the area in the future.

The freight station building has been under heritage protection since 2013. Its owner is the company Žižkov Station Development, which is 51 percent owned by Czech Railways and 49 percent by Sekyra Group. "If a cultural function is allowed to be established there, it can be purchased from the developer by some cultural institutions," said the mayor.

The mayor estimates that repairs to the building, which has 80,000 square meters, will cost between two to three billion crowns. The change in the zoning plan, which will allow for the redevelopment of surrounding lands, can wait for now, according to her. "It won't be possible to build anyway until the road ring is completed," she added.

Last week, the capital city commissioned the Institute of Planning and Development (IPR) to prepare a study for the area of the freight station, and the municipality wants to include the wider surroundings. The study is expected to outline urban and transportation solutions for the area, including public spaces. It should also address the functionalist station building and its utilization.

The entire area is about 50 hectares. Eighteen hectares in the northern part along Malešická Street are owned by Central Group, while the southern area near Olšanských cemeteries is owned by Žižkov Station Development. A valid zoning decision has been issued for the northern part.