The digitalization of the building permit process has stabilized after a year, but still faces complications

Prague – Nearly a year after the launch of the digitization of building proceedings, the systems, according to the Ministry for Regional Development (MMR), are stabilized, although they are still facing complications. Building authorities are still processing applications in some cases that were submitted before the launch of digitization, i.e., before July 1, 2024. A new contract for the digitization system of building proceedings is to be announced, and according to the government, it should be completed by the beginning of 2028. Representatives of architects and building authorities, however, doubt that the system will be fully functional by this deadline and it is likely that it will continue to be developed in the following years.

The digitization of building proceedings was overseen by former Pirate Party chairman Ivan Bartoš, who was dismissed from his position as Minister for Regional Development last autumn due to problems with the system. Ultimately, this led to the departure of the Pirates from the government coalition. Following Bartoš's dismissal, the government decided not to continue with the further development of the system. Temporarily, until a completely new system is launched, a so-called bypass is currently functioning in the offices. This allows officials to process applications using the original local systems such as VITA or VERA. At the same time, the legal part of the bypass protects workers from certain illegal steps that they must take during approvals due to poorly functioning systems.

According to data from the MMR, nearly 210,000 applications for various proceedings have been entered into the digitization information system over the entire year. Currently, about 108,000 of these applications are being processed, 2,601 are suspended, and 99,000 have been completed. However, according to spokesperson Petr Waleczek, the data from the system do not represent a complete picture of building proceedings in the Czech Republic. The system does not register all proceedings conducted in local agenda systems of the offices, and applications submitted before the launch of digitization are also not included.

"In the first months after the launch of the digitization of building proceedings, it clearly brought a significant additional burden to the offices and the concerned authorities. It has been partially alleviated by the introduction of a legislative and technological bypass and the stabilization of the newly launched information systems," said Waleczek. As for the length of approval processes, he stated that it is not possible to separate the digitization of building proceedings from the introduction of a new building law and its implementing regulations. "As a whole, they brought a number of simplifications, shortened deadlines, and should lead to a long-term reduction in approval processes," he added.

The fact that some offices are still working on applications submitted under the original laws was also confirmed to ČTK by Jan Holický, chairman of the Association of Secretaries of City and Municipal Offices. According to him, builders filed applications with the offices earlier due to fears that the new legislation and systems would not be completely tested and functional. The reason that year-old applications are still being processed is, according to him, that builders deliberately submitted incomplete applications that could not be resolved in a timely manner. However, another reason was that some offices were completely overwhelmed by applications submitted by June 30, 2024.

"The situation is better than in the autumn of last year; however, it is still a temporary solution. I am somewhat concerned whether the deadline of January 1, 2028, is realistic, because the ministry's schedule counts on further development of the system until 2031. I assume that in 2028, it will not be a fully functional system," Holický said.

The deadline for the delivery of the new system is also being questioned by Jan Kasl, chairman of the Czech Chamber of Architects (ČKA). According to him, the chamber expects that after the elections, the next government will intervene again in the building proceedings and the building law, which will delay the delivery of the system. "We consider it necessary to direct the new system towards maximizing the use of artificial intelligence tools in verifying project documentation, also in terms of adjustments to the National Geoportal of Spatial Planning for the registration and verification of spatial plans," stated Kasl.

At the same time, the president of the ČKA added that the builder's portal is functional after a year and project documentation can be submitted through it. However, this part of the system, according to member Viktor Odstrčilík, still does not meet the originally planned potential. "In the long term, digitization is, of course, the right step. However, the way it was introduced and the timing of individual steps have caused paralysis, which we are still struggling with in some locations," Odstrčilík added.