The Wilson House may not be built in the Masaryk district of Brno

Brno - In the center of Brno's Masaryk district, a residential and shopping complex may not be constructed, against which 1700 local residents expressed their opposition in a petition. However, their complaints came only after the Brno-Central municipal district signed contracts with the investor. Today, the municipal council annulled one of its previous decisions, said Mayor Michal Bortel (ČSSD) to ČTK today.
    The council withdrew last year's resolution to lease the land on Lerchova Street to Wilson Property for 15 years. It was this company that wanted to build a multi-story building in the heart of the villa district. "This is a conciliatory step towards the leadership of Brno," said Bortel. Brno acquired the land free of charge from the army, but on the condition that it would be used non-commercially. The investor's project was not non-commercial, which residents of the district and the opposition criticized.
    It was unclear whether the council's decision meant that the building would not be constructed, Bortel said. However, Brno's deputy mayor Oliver Pospíšil, who is responsible for city property, believes such a decision may be heading in that direction. "Everything is changing; everything is returning to square one. We are almost at a blank sheet of paper, and I think that is good," he told ČTK today.
    Lawyers will now deal with the matter. Among other things, they will have to resolve how the municipal district and Wilson Property will settle their affairs. The signed contracts stipulated that in the event of an investment failure, the company is entitled to reimbursement for unnecessary expenses. These could amount to up to ten million crowns.
    Brno will also continue negotiations with the army. It wants, among other things, to rewrite the vague formulation that the land transferred free of charge to Brno must not be used commercially. According to Pospíšil, local residents wanted, for example, doctors' offices on the site, but even renting offices could be considered commercial use, he stated. He personally believes that a public debate on how to utilize the land on Lerchova Street may also begin now.
    "As the Green Party in Brno-Central and the civic association Masarykova čtvrť, we will participate in the discussion," said councilor Svatopluk Bartík to ČTK today. He interprets today’s decision of the councilors as politicians succumbing to pressure. According to him, the case is being investigated by the police at the green party's initiative, as well as the legal advisors of the magistrate and now also the Office for the Protection of Competition.