Kupka: The government will focus on the digitization of the building regulation during the amendment of the building law

Prague – The government will focus on the digitalization of the building process when amending the building law. It promises a significant acceleration and clarification of the entire process. Minister of Transport Martin Kupka said this today at the Building Development Summit. According to him, the government will present the digitalization proposal to the House of Representatives by mid-year. The House has already decided this year to postpone part of the new building law, which anticipated the establishment of specialized building authorities.

The postponement of the effectiveness of part of the law, according to Kupka, eliminated the risk that the approval of constructions would collapse instead of accelerating transportation construction. This would be triggered by the structural changes that planned the establishment of specialized building authorities in the regions, according to the government. The minister stated that the problem would primarily be with staffing the authorities, which would paralyze the issuance of building permits.

Instead, the government wants to focus on the digitalization of individual procedures in the building process. According to Kupka, it will be possible to track individual steps and procedures of the authorities electronically in clear tables. They should contain information about the current steps of a particular authority, deadlines, and other conditions. "This digital trail will bring clarity to the procedures and strengthen the responsibility of individual officials," added the minister.

According to him, the proposal for this part of the law should go into inter-ministerial consultation in the first half of April, and then the government promises to submit it to the House by mid-year.

"In the future, the government will also want to focus on adjusting the conditions for urban planning when changing the building law. I am convinced that the role of urban planning, regulatory plans, and subsequent construction approvals as a complex genuinely accelerates the speed of building processes, which we need," said Minister for Regional Development Ivan Bartoš (Pirates) in a video contribution. However, he noted that changes in this area will likely take longer.

The ruling coalition also previously agreed to reduce the number of building authorities to 371 instead of the current 450. According to the agreement, some mayors will lose their building authority, particularly those where only one official manages the agenda.

On the other hand, principles such as appeals or the presumption of consent should be preserved from the current wording of the building law. By the original date of July 1, 2023, a part regarding so-called reserved buildings, i.e., large investment projects such as linear constructions, should also come into effect; these will fall under the jurisdiction of the Specialized and Appeal Building Authority according to the new legislation.

Bartoš wants to discuss the comprehensive amendment in the House by the end of this year. According to the minister, it aims to completely overturn the establishment of the Supreme Building Authority.

Bartoš's predecessor and shadow minister for regional development Klára Dostálová (for ANO) had previously warned about the possible dual track, where the law would allow the state to secure its constructions, but citizens would still face difficulties. According to her, it is also important to ensure who will address the issue of illegal constructions.