New building regulations should be nationwide according to the Chamber

"We are very pleased that they are in effect. The period during which several building regulations were in effect in a relatively short time frame, leading to uncertainty for builders and investors regarding the framework for applying for building permits, was unfortunate," said ČKA chairman Ivan Plicka to reporters today.

It was precisely during the period when specific regulations for the capital city were not in effect and it was necessary to adhere to national regulations that their shortcomings became apparent, according to Plicka. He noted that their application, especially in historic centers, often leads to disturbances in urban or municipal environments rather than respecting the character of the settlements. However, he claims there is agreement among experts and officials on the need for a revision of national building regulations, unlike those for Prague. Their adoption, however, is a matter of several years.

Building regulations, which serve as implementing regulations for the building law, generally define requirements for land use and technical requirements for buildings. The government is currently discussing an amendment to the building law which may abolish Prague's privilege to create its own regulations. Prague has had its building regulations as the only city in the country for over 100 years.

According to the chamber, it is important for this right of Prague to remain in the law. National building regulations, it claims, would meet the needs of most settlements in the Czech Republic, but Prague is unique in its size, history, and population. According to Plicka, Prague's special right has a century-long tradition. Statutory cities may have similar needs, but smaller cities have different ones.

The effectiveness of the original building regulations was suspended for 15 months last January by the Ministry for Regional Development. Subsequently, a constitutional complaint was filed due to them. "During the time when Prague's building regulations were not in effect, many projects had to be revised according to national ordinances, which significantly delayed them," Plicka stated regarding the situation before the adoption of the new rules.

The new building regulations for Prague began to be developed under Mayor Tomáš Hudeček (independent, previously TOP 09), and were then prepared by former deputy mayor Matěj Stropnický (SZ/Trojkoalice). According to previous statements by Mayor Adriana Krnáčová (ANO), her office prepared the final version.

Against the form of the regulations, the Czech Chamber of Authorized Engineers and Technicians Active in Construction (ČKAIT) protests. According to them, the regulations are confusing in relation to the building law and introduce nonsensical rules that do not meet, among other things, the requirements for residential safety. "The definition by ČKAIT is unclear to us, and we do not know where it originates," said Plicka.