Prague will again arrange a change in the territorial plan for Metro D

Prague - Prague will once again procure a change to the zoning plan for metro D, which was annulled by the court two years ago. The zoning decision regarding the construction is unlikely to reach the court, said today at a press conference following the meeting of the city council the deputy for urban development Petra Kolínská (SZ/Trojkoalice). Compliance with the zoning plan and an issued zoning decision is necessary for the construction permit for the metro from Pankrác to Písnice.

According to Kolínská, the city will acquire the change again to withstand any potential further court review. Moreover, the council approved in January that it would file a constitutional complaint due to the annulment of the change. The Prague municipal court ruled in July 2015, and last year at the end of the year, the Supreme Administrative Court rejected the city's cassation complaint.

The city has negotiated a cooperation agreement with the landowners who challenged the zoning plan change and the issued zoning decision in court. "We will do everything to get them to withdraw the lawsuit and not be discussed in court at all," added Kolínská.

The change to the zoning plan concerns the land around Thomayer Hospital in Krč and the land between the future stations Nové Dvory and Písnice. It is meant to allow the construction of the metro on lands previously designated as a zoning reserve.

The court annulled the change to the zoning plan because the municipal department of the environment failed in the documentation to explain why it did not require a SEA (Strategic Environmental Assessment) report, which assesses the environmental impact of construction concepts.

Metro D is expected to connect the center with the southern part of the city. The first section to be constructed will be from Pankráce to Písnice, followed by the remaining two stations Náměstí Bratří Synků and Náměstí Míru. The cost of Metro D is estimated to be 50 billion crowns. It will operate automated driverless trains.