NPÚ failed with the review of the project for the reconstruction of the spa in Plzeň

Plzeň - The National Heritage Institute (NPÚ) was unsuccessful in reviewing the project for the reconstruction of the municipal baths in Plzeň, including the construction of the new building of the West Bohemian Gallery (ZČG). This is a project costing nearly two billion crowns, prepared by the Plzeň Region. The regional office of the Ústí Region, designated by the Ministry of Culture as the appellate authority, confirmed the original decision of the Plzeň conservationists and rejected NPÚ's objections, said regional councilman Pavel Strolený (ANO) today. According to him, NPÚ can no longer appeal and can only defend itself in court.

NPÚ disapproved of the project by architectural studio Eva Heyworthová. "The dispute is about how the façade should look from the outside and where the large windows should be, with their arrangements that we altered. We needed to raise the second row of windows by two or three meters to align them with the new arrangements of the floors in the studios for exercise and dance," said the councilman. The region already has a building permit for plans that were previously developed by Plzeň architect Jan Soukup, which, however, did not account for the construction of ZČG and the studios. It was a matter of whether legal or architectural opinion would prevail, Strolený noted.

"Demolition work has been completed at the baths, the spaces are being cleared, and work is continuing," the councilman stated. This year's work will be funded by the region, with demolition and clearance costs amounting to lower tens of millions of crowns. Strolený acknowledged that if the region had taken out a loan, it might have been able to proceed faster. "But it won't fundamentally slow down the final outcome. The end of all work will be in 2026, possibly a year later," he indicated.

Regional representatives canceled the plan to take a two-billion crown loan for the reconstruction of the baths and the construction of ZČG in April. The opposition disagrees with the project. The region announced a tender for the loan last December and contacted six banks, which submitted offers. "The banks appreciated that we informed them in time that we would not need the loan this year, as they could use the funds elsewhere," Strolený stated.

Whether the region will take out a loan for the baths will be decided by the new regional representation after the autumn elections. The actual reconstruction of the dilapidated baths into a multicultural center costing 1.7 to two billion crowns is set to begin in 2025. However, the region has currently halted preparations for the tender for the construction contractor.