Developer: The new district in Kutná Hora does not threaten the UNESCO World Heritage

Kutná Hora – The planned residential neighborhood in the Kutná Hora area of Malín does not threaten UNESCO World Heritage status, claims the development company Marlo KH. It has thus rejected criticism from the Czech National Committee of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ČNK ICOMOS) regarding its project. In a press release sent to ČTK today, it points out that the project is not located even in the so-called buffer zone.

According to the committee, the project is in close proximity to a monument listed as UNESCO World Heritage, contrary to UNESCO's recommendations on historic urban landscapes and other international documents, as well as general requirements for the protection of landscape character within the Czech legislative framework.

The company disagrees with the criticism. It argues that the project is not part of the protective zone, the so-called buffer zone. According to them, it is located in accordance with Kutná Hora's zoning plan in an area near the main train station, which the city has designated as a development site for residential buildings.

"The ICOMOS statement is, according to experts we consulted, an opinion that is not based on law. It is a completely disproportionate and fundamentally unlawful effort to impose requirements for monument-protected areas according to the Czech Monument Act or international conventions on UNESCO World Heritage monuments onto free and thus unprotected areas of the landscape," asserts Marlo's director Martin Louda. "Such an opinion can certainly be freely expressed by the national committee; however, it should be said that it is entirely disconnected from any valid legal rules and constitutes manipulation of public opinion," he stated.

Some residents of Malín also oppose the construction of the new neighborhood and have organized a protest petition. They are particularly concerned about the planned construction of four thirteen-story buildings, which they believe do not belong in the area. The company defends the construction, asserting that it is a modern ecological project that will be beneficial for the city.

Mayor Lukáš Seifert (ODS) previously stated that the city hall has limited options to influence spontaneous development in the city. He considers it a mistake that Kutná Hora does not have a regulatory plan alongside the zoning plan. The zoning plan lacks height restrictions for Malín. Therefore, the city hall wants to prepare a regulatory plan for areas that are not sufficiently protected.