Praha will identify plots for apartments and will also prepare a plan for brownfields

Prague - The Municipal Institute of Planning and Development (IPR) will compile a list of city-owned plots suitable for residential construction in the future. Prague's city councilors made this decision today. They also approved the IPR's creation of an overview of Prague's brownfields with development plans for the next three to five years. First Deputy Mayor Petr Hlaváček (for the United Forces for Prague) stated that with the use of these materials, the new leadership of the magistrate aims to present a strategy for the development of the metropolis by the summer.

In the case of plots for housing, a previous analysis has already been created; however, according to the councilor for housing, Adam Zábranský (Pirate Party), the new one should include more parcels. "At that time, it was tasked to identify plots for social housing, so rather smaller," he stated. He added that the previous document provided space for only a few hundred apartments. "I believe that this material will yield significantly more," the councilor said.

According to Deputy Hlaváček, the city intends to use the identified plots in the future in cooperation with private developers, housing cooperatives, or other, less traditional investors. The council plans to propose further steps in the strategic development plan, which should not only concern housing but all areas important to the city.

The basis for this will also be another document commissioned today, in which IPR will present further plans for the development of several dozen so-called transformation areas, usually brownfields designated for construction. The document will include an evaluation of the situation in terms of property rights relations, potential construction bans, and zoning planning for each locality and propose a timeline for further steps. The result should be accessible to the public.

From the statements of representatives of the Prague coalition of the Pirates, Prague for Itself, and the United Forces for Prague (TOP 09 and STAN), it is not entirely clear how much the city wants to build apartments by itself. Hlaváček previously stated that he believes Prague should have its own development company that would build not only apartments but also schools and other public buildings.

According to the opposition ODS, municipal construction is inefficient. "Based on analyses, we know that to stop the price of apartments in Prague from rising, it is necessary to build at least 6,000 apartments a year. The coalition wants to solve the situation by becoming a developer that will build its own residential units. However, the city as a developer can build just under 500 apartments over the entire electoral term," stated Alexandra Udženija, chairwoman of the ODS parliamentary club.

She added that the Civic Democrats have proposed in the Chamber of Deputies a so-called fiction of consent. This would stipulate that if institutions do not express their opinion when granting a building permit within the legal limit of 30 or, in more complex cases, 60 days, their stance will be taken as positive. A binding opinion from dozens of institutions is required for building permits, and according to Udženija, there are 40,000 apartments pending approval processes in Prague. TOP 09 also wants to introduce the fiction of consent in its proposed amendment to the building act.