Prague 4 will file a lawsuit against the decision on the construction of a skyscraper at Budějovická

Prague – The city district of Prague 4 will file a lawsuit against the zoning decision of the Prague City Hall, which allows the construction of an administrative building over 70 meters high at the corner of Budějovická and Vyskočilova streets. According to the city hall, the planned skyscraper does not belong in this area and would worsen living conditions in the vicinity. This was reported by the spokesperson for the city district, Aleš Berný.

The planned building is to have 19 above-ground floors and a height of 72 meters. According to the city hall, such a tall building would significantly disrupt the character of the area and negatively impact the lives of residents in the surrounding houses. "A fundamental negative impact is that residents of the nearby houses will lose light and sunlight, decreasing their living comfort and quality of life," Berný stated.

The City Hall issued the zoning decision on December 17 of last year, and Prague 4 can file a lawsuit by January 18. The city district hall considers the City Hall's procedure problematic, among other reasons, because the decision was issued shortly before the Christmas holidays, which, in its view, shortened the space for reaction. "We consider the City Hall's procedure to be substantively incorrect and, moreover, given the date of the decision and the subsequent deadlines, unfair," said the deputy mayor for territorial development, Patrik Opa (ODS).

The Supreme Administrative Court had previously intervened in the same matter, which canceled the previous decision of the City Hall in July 2023 and returned the case for new consideration. The court then criticized the way the authorities defined the so-called stabilized area, i.e., the part of the city with existing development, based on which it is assessed whether a new building fits into the surroundings with its dimensions and character.

According to Prague 4, the City Hall did not address the court's objections in the new decision and did not respect its legal opinion. The city hall also points out that the authorities did not sufficiently address the impact of the construction on the quality of living in the surrounding houses.

Prague 4 has approximately 135,700 inhabitants. It includes the entire cadastral areas of Braník, Hodkovičky, Krč, Lhotka, and Podolí, parts of the cadastral areas of Nusle, Michle, Záběhlice, and several houses in Vinohrady.