From the current 714 building authorities in the Czech Republic, at least 383 will be preserved

Seč - Of the current 714 building authorities in the Czech Republic, at least 383 should remain after the amendment to the building law. They should stay in all municipalities with a delegated municipal office. The future of other building authorities in smaller settlements will still be discussed by the Association of Towns and Municipalities (SMO) with the Ministry of the Interior. This was stated today at a legal conference organized by the SMO by the Minister for Regional Development Klára Dostálová (ANO), Pardubice governor Martin Netolický (ČSSD), and the chairman of the SMO František Lukl.

"We consider the basic building block to be 383 offices, where a secretary, essentially the head of the office, is responsible for the execution of delegated powers, including construction law. These are larger offices that ensure mutual representation," Netolický stated.

According to Lukl, it is important for state entities participating in the permitting processes in construction proceedings to be integrated as much as possible. "It shouldn't be the builder who 'circulates,' but the documentation. If a coordinated opinion comes to a general-type building authority, possibly along with some statement for special heritage buildings, then the office will deal with it," Lukl said.

Dostálová noted that the hierarchy of building authorities in territorial units will be the responsibility of the Ministry of the Interior. The decree processed by the ministry and the number of building authorities in small municipalities will then be taken over by the amendment to the building law.

The regions also disagree with the idea that their building authorities should be transferred to a newly established building authority set up by the state. "Regions will be effectively gutted," Netolický said. According to him, the change will be complicated and costly, but it will not bring much acceleration to the construction process.

The amendment to the law aims to accelerate and simplify the approval of constructions. According to an earlier proposal, officials responsible for construction proceedings at the municipal level were supposed to be transferred to a new state model with the Supreme Building Authority. This would mean the relocation of about 7,000 officials instead of 13,500.