Investor reduced the number of apartments planned at the Lužiny shopping center

Prague - The investor has reduced the number of apartments planned as an extension to the Lužiny shopping center from the original 303 to 215. Some residents still disagree with the construction of buildings up to 16 stories high, and people expressed their opinions at today's public discussion of the proposal, which is part of the issuance of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). A petition against the construction was already created earlier, which gathered more than 1,600 signatures.

"The city district has never given its consent. In 2013, the city district fundamentally disagreed with the size of the proposal," said Mayor David Vodrážka (ODS) today. He is not pleased with the new proposal for a lower number of apartments either. However, the building authority of Prague 13 had no choice under current laws but to give a positive opinion.

According to architect Martin Hlaváček, the investor bought the shopping center in 2011 when they had a commitment from the city hall that an extension would be possible. According to him, the development of vacant spaces within the city complies with current Prague building regulations.

The project originally considered apartments for about 720 residents, but the builder now proposes 500. For the 215 apartments, they plan on 254 new parking spaces, which is also criticized by the people. The buildings will be constructed on the area of the current parking lots of the shopping center.

People are concerned about the burden caused by the construction, and they also lack civic amenities for the new residents of the built apartments, such as places in kindergartens. They consider the increase in the number of cars on the streets the biggest problem. The city's Institute of Planning and Development also disagrees, citing issues with the lack of green spaces and public areas.

The criticized projects are being developed by the companies Lužiny Alfa and Lužiny Beta, which are predominantly owned by City West Investors, a company based in London. The company already has a third variant of the structure. The first proposed two fifteen and sixteen-story buildings, the second one lower and another with up to 26 stories.