The municipalities will regulate construction, the developer disagrees

Roztoky (near Prague) - Roztoky near Prague will regulate construction due to concerns about the burden on infrastructure, such as roads. Last week, the councilors of Roztoky decided to prepare a regulation proposal in several locations where massive construction is possible according to the valid land-use plan. "We prefer the construction of family houses at a reasonable density," said the mayor of Roztoky, Jan Jakob (TOP 09), to ČTK today. The planned regulation will not allow all the upcoming investments of the company Ekospol, which will defend itself.

"Ekospol cannot agree with the significant construction restrictions proposed in the regulatory plan, and therefore, objections will be filed," said Evžen Korec, the general director of Ekospol, today. According to him, the construction law clearly states that restrictions on construction on plots, compared to the extent outlined in the land-use plan, are harmful to the owner, and the entity that causes such harm is obliged to compensate the landowner for the damage incurred.

The regulatory plans should determine the minimum plot size for one family house and the maximum extent of its buildability. The approval process will take several months, during which authorities, residents, and landowners will comment on the proposals, and the plans must then be processed and again address the comments. Only then will the representatives approve them. "It could be as early as the end of this year," the mayor stated. If the regulatory plans do not materialize, the mayor believes the population of Roztoky could double; the city currently has over 8,000 residents.

Regulatory plans are being prepared for the locations Dubečnice, Horní Žalov, and Solníky. In the case of massive construction, the city would face excessive traffic burdens, and the capacities of schools, kindergartens, and wastewater treatment plants would not suffice.

Last November, Ekospol sued Roztoky for the delays in the planned construction of approximately 500 apartments in the Dubečnice area. The city imposed a construction ban on Ekospol’s plots almost nine years ago, causing the company damage because it cannot realize its planned investment.

Part of the Dubečnice area is designated by the land-use plan for the construction of apartment buildings, and part for the construction of family houses. The land-use plan allows in the first phase the construction of approximately 500 apartments for 1,250 residents, while subsequent phases permit the construction of family houses.

The developer considers the nine-year ban period unacceptable, as a construction moratorium should only be an exceptional tool used for as long as necessary to develop a regulatory plan.

The regional court affirmed in its ruling, according to Korec, that the acceptance of a construction moratorium for such a long time was illegal and ruled that the city of Roztoky must develop a regulatory plan or lift the construction moratorium within six months of the ruling gaining legal force. "Further negotiations with the city of Roztoky are possible, but only on the condition that the city of Roztoky respects the valid land-use plan," Korec added.