The opposition in Brno is troubled by the sale of land at Římské náměstí

Winning competition proposal

Brno - The opposition in Brno-střed criticizes the planned sale of land in the so-called Roman Square. Years ago, a private company rented it and built a temporary structure - a doctor's office, even though according to the zoning plan it is a residential area. Now the company is seeking to buy the land, which the opposition criticizes. If the city sells the land, the entire transformation of the square, as proposed by architects in the urban planning competition, will not be able to take place, said opposition councilor Bohumil Straka (TOP 09) to reporters today. Mayor Libor Šťástka told ČTK that the city councilors will decide on the sale.
Straka criticizes the fact that the company is using a salami tactic. First, it rented the land, then built a temporary structure and is now asking for the purchase with arguments about incurred and planned investments. "The coalition said we must take private business into account, but we are here to defend the public interest. Once it is sold, it cannot be taken back," stated Straka.
According to the mayor, however, Brno now needs to get rid of land it does not need. It will not have to take care of it, and will gain "more significant money" from the sale than it receives from renting. He also rejected the notion that the sale of the land and the further operation of the offices would jeopardize the planned transformation of Roman Square into a quiet zone. "For us, two things are important: the possibility of holding farmers' markets and a reconstruction that includes adding furniture, greenery, and a water feature," he stated.
The architectural competition for the alteration of Roman Square was announced by the city council in the previous electoral term. It received more than 90 proposals. The jury selected the proposal by young architects Lukáš Fišer and Kristýna Casková as the best. They recommended narrowing the entrances to the square to increase its intimacy. They divided the space into a lively area with café tables and benches and an inner courtyard containing greenery and a building for a children's and maternity center.