The Prague City Hall canceled the zoning decision for the Polar Bear

Prague - The Prague city hall has revoked the zoning decision concerning the construction of the so-called Ice Bear at Vítězné náměstí. The project is not in accordance with the zoning plan and the requirements of heritage protection, ČTK found out from the decision of the building authority. The investor, the company Vítězné náměstí, which is part of the PPF Real Estate group, must modify the project. The company's spokesperson Miroslav Beneš did not want to comment on the situation. "We are familiarizing ourselves with the city hall's decision," he stated without further comment.
    The building authority took into account the decision of the municipal court, which recently annulled the modification of the zoning plan regarding the volume of the building. Moreover, it considered the ruling of the Ministry of Culture from last year, which annulled the positive opinion of the city hall's heritage experts. According to the ministry, a building of such size is unacceptable.
    The location of the building in Dejvice has been under discussion for several years. The design by architect Radan Hubička provokes mixed reactions from the public and experts, as is common with unconventional architecture. The multifunctional building aims to complete the currently open block of houses, fundamentally changing the appearance of the square. The investor claims that the building will bring new services for residents along with administrative spaces, including a café, smaller shops, and garages.
    However, opponents point out the size of the planned building. Civic associations also criticize politicians for past decisions regarding the municipal land, on which the city hall decided to build a commercial building in cooperation with a private investor instead of the previously planned town hall. Prague 6 ultimately withdrew from participating in the project. However, the Ice Bear investor retained the preemptive right to the land.
    The richest Czech, Petr Kellner, who is behind the PPF group, is planning other significant construction projects in Prague. The most attention was drawn to last year's demolition of the Hotel Praha and the planned construction of a school, coincidentally also in Dejvice near Vítězné náměstí. Among other projects, Kellner plans to build the tallest Czech skyscraper in Chodov.