Prague wants to join the change of the zoning plan for the covering of the main train station

Prague - The Prague Institute of Planning and Development (IPR) wants to join the initiative to change the zoning plan submitted by landowners around the main train station, which aims to allow for the covering of the railway tracks and the construction of buildings. This was stated by participants in today's meeting of the city council’s urban development committee, which recommended starting the change. Ultimately, the councilors will vote on it in plenary. The leadership of Prague 2 also supports the change, while local opposition Pirates criticize it.

The request for the change was submitted by companies CR-City, which includes, among others, Czech Railways and Penta, who proposed this plan several years ago. The plan includes covering the platform, with residential or administrative buildings to be constructed on an area of approximately 135,000 square meters around it. According to a previous statement by Penta's spokesperson Martin Lánský, one option is also the construction of a new National Library building.

The exact form of the project is not yet clear; during the process of making changes to the zoning plan, the representatives of the city hall have indicated that the scope of the construction should also be clarified. Competitions are to be announced for the overall urban concept and the designs of individual buildings.

"We have decided to join the initiative as a co-applicant," said Marek Zděradička, the deputy director of IPR, at today’s committee meeting. The Deputy Mayor of Prague 2, Jan Recman (ODS), then stated that the city hall's leadership wanted to approve submitting its own initiative for the change at the upcoming council meeting, but did not rule out joining the already submitted one.

"We want all important questions of urbanism and coordination of all functions, including environmental protection, urbanism, heritage protection, and others, to be given space in the discussion; we want the debate to be as open and transparent as possible," commented Lánský from Penta on today’s committee recommendation. He added that the main train station area is one of the last in the city center where a large public building can be established.

The approach of the Prague 2 city hall was previously criticized by the opposition Pirates, who argued that the initiative planned by the municipal district had not been discussed with the city hall, heritage experts, or IPR. Therefore, they disagree "with this non-transparent and hastily prepared process" and demand public participation. According to their statement, any similarly significant change must be preceded by professional and public discussions with all stakeholders.

The intention is also criticized by the Club for Old Prague. "The proposed change to the zoning plan does not stem from the conclusions of public discussions or the real needs of the city, but arises from the investor's vision, the essence of which is intensive commercial development of the previously vacant spaces between New Town and Vinohrady," the club stated in its statement.

Penta is currently constructing buildings around the nearby Masaryk Station. For instance, there is a building designed by the architectural studio of architect Zaha Hadid, and Penta will build a platform above the Masaryk Station during its reconstruction that will span the railway tracks. This will allow people to cross from Florence to Hybernská Street and from Masaryk Station to the main train station.