Prague wants to approve the delayed new zoning plan in this electoral term

Prague - Prague intends to complete the preparation of a new urban plan for the city, the so-called Metropolitan Plan, during this election term. It also plans to continue the development of plans for the construction of major development areas, reconstruct squares, halt the development of certain areas, and plant greenery. This follows from the program declaration approved today by city councilors. The coalition in the metropolis consists of Spolu (ODS, TOP 09, and KDU-ČSL), Pirates, and STAN; the councilors approved their declaration about nine months after the elections and almost four months after the election of the city's leadership.

The urban plan is a fundamental document that determines construction in Prague, and based on it, building authorities decide on construction permits. The new Metropolitan Plan was originally supposed to come into effect in 2020, but its discussion has been significantly delayed, and the current plan continues to be valid only under an exception from the Ministry of Regional Development. Deputy Mayor for Urban Development Petr Hlaváček (from STAN) stated today after the approval of the program declaration that the approval of the new plan is realistic by the end of 2025.

For major construction projects, the coalition aims to focus on the planned construction of a new concert hall at Vltavská or the renovation of the Karlín Barracks, which the city will soon acquire from the state, for new use "in a combination of student housing and cultural-creative institutions." A scientific and technological park might also be there; the coalition will negotiate its use further. There are also plans to modify the unfinished building at Palmovka to house the European Union Agency for the Space Program (EUSPA), and according to the declaration, the city also wants to advocate for a new hospital in Letňany in the planned new district. The magistrate will review further uses of Strahov Stadium or the construction of a new building in the Na Knížecí area.

According to the document, public space is the "shared living room" of the city's residents, and therefore the coalition plans to reconstruct the upper part of Wenceslas Square associated with the return of the tram line, long-planned adjustments to Karlovo Square, or the transformation of Malostranské Square. Adjustments to Palachovo, Vítězné, and Mariánské squares are also on the agenda, with the magistrate having been working on the projects for some time.

In connection with the planned metro station D Náměstí Bratří Synků, the city wants to announce an architectural competition for the design of public spaces, subway exits, and possibly also buildings above the station. The city leadership will also continue preparations for parks at the confluence of the Berounka and Vltava rivers, at Rohanský island, or in Troja. The city aims to regulate pigeon populations through municipal dovecotes, as stated in the document.

In terms of the environment, the coalition wants to focus on cooling the city through the planting of greenery or cooling Prague with water. It aims to plant an additional 500,000 trees. The city leadership also wants to continue projects for modernizing the Central Wastewater Treatment Plant (ÚČOV) on Císařský Island and to launch an awareness campaign aimed at "preventing waste generation in accordance with the waste management hierarchy." ÚČOV projects also focus on increasing the city's energy self-sufficiency, with plans to use heat from wastewater for heating large parts of the metropolis.