The first part of the Smíchov City project has apparently received an EIA assessment

Prague - The initial phase of the development project by Sekyra Group, Smíchov City, has seemingly received a positive environmental impact assessment (EIA). The deadline for appeals ended on Wednesday, and so far, no one has contested the positive opinion. Leoš Anderle, the executive director of Sekyra Group, told ČTK. The developer has been consulting the project with the public for about the last year. Based on feedback, they have modified the design of the central part of the new district and reduced the scale of construction. People can familiarize themselves with the project design at an exhibition organized by the Institute of Planning and Development (IPR).

According to Anderle, it is theoretically possible that some appeal may still arrive, as Friday was a public holiday and mail was not delivered. If that does not happen, Sekyra Group aims to start building the first part of the new district, two housing blocks in the northern part of the area, by the end of next year. The construction of more than 400 apartments and 9,500 square meters of office space is expected to last about two and a half years and cost approximately three billion koruna. The entire project could be completed in 15 to 20 years.

The fact that no one has appealed against the results of the EIA process is quite rare in Czech conditions. According to Anderle, this is likely due to the developer's effort to accommodate the demands of local residents.

Public consultations have been ongoing for over a year and will continue. On December 4, the company will present to the public the current phase of the project and the results that public participation has brought so far.

Based on feedback from local residents and associations, the developer has significantly modified the project, according to Anderle. For example, people complained about the small amount of greenery in the boulevard that is to run through the middle of the new district, so there will be significantly more greenery than originally planned. In further phases, the developer plans to consider incorporating water features into public spaces.

The developer has also reduced the floor area and height of buildings based on requests. "I would say that we have reduced it by about 8,000 to 10,000 square meters," Anderle stated. He added that this means a reduction of almost 20 percent, which will be possible to compensate in further phases, but only partially.

The Czech Savings Bank has previously influenced the design of the project, deciding to build its new headquarters in the southern part of Smíchov City. This year, in cooperation with Sekyra Group, it announced an international architectural competition, to which around 160 studios have registered, according to Anderle. The jury, mostly composed of independent experts, selected 15 finalists. The results of the competition are expected to be known in April next year, and the project, including all permits, could be ready by 2021.

The planned form of Smíchov City can be viewed at the Center for Architecture and Urban Planning (CAMP) in the grounds of the Emauzy Monastery, operated by IPR. According to the director of the institute, Ondřej Boháč, the space was created primarily for the presentation of such significant development projects. The exhibition includes a model of the project on a 1:500 scale and the opportunity to walk through the new district using virtual reality goggles.

Smíchov City is set to be developed on the site of the former Smíchov freight railway station. It is among a number of brownfields and other development areas where, according to the emerging new urban plan of Prague, residential construction should be concentrated in the metropolis.