Prague postpones the reconstruction of Masaryk Railway Station and other projects

Prague - Prague postpones changes to the zoning plan related to criticized projects such as the reconstruction of Masaryk Station, Prague - Smíchov Station, Žižkov Freight Station, or the Bubny - Zátory area. This was decided today by the city council, which postponed further discussions due to the impact of the crisis on developers and disagreements with urban planners. Projects planned in these areas would require investments in the range of tens to hundreds of billions of crowns.
    Many of these projects have faced public dissent, with some cases also opposed by heritage preservationists. The most closely watched was probably the planned construction on the site of the current tracks at Masaryk Station. Some Central Bohemian municipalities were concerned that the station could be closed, complicating the connection between Central Bohemia and the capital. Green councilors from Prague 3 were also opposed to the planned reconstruction of Žižkov Freight Station.
    The Prague City Hall claims that changes to the zoning plan are not being halted definitively. "Some simply did not get discussed to the point where they could be approved," said City Hall spokesperson Jiří Wolf to ČTK. According to council member Martin Langmajer, some were also paused until the ideas of individual city parts about the further use of these areas are clarified.
    "These are large development areas that must wait for their development at this moment. (...) However, the city can return to the changes at any time. This is not a problem; extending the time limits can benefit this situation," stated Langmajer.
    The halt to these changes to the zoning plan was welcomed by some opposition politicians. "Zoning planning must be done with caution. That is why a new zoning plan is being prepared now. I am therefore glad that the council did not succumb to the pressure of developers and paused some changes," noted councilor Miroslav Poche (ČSSD).
    Spokesman for Sekyra Group Radek Polák, who is planning projects at the Žižkov and Smíchov stations, told ČTK that today’s decision will not change anything from the preparation standpoint. "These are projects that take 10 to 15 years to develop. These areas will need revitalization sooner or later," he noted. According to him, the projects are currently in the stage of urban study.
    The city leadership today also sent some city-wide significant changes into the next round. The council members agreed, for example, to a change that will allow further residential construction in Uhříněves, the construction of a railway corridor Prague - Beroun, the construction near the metro Roztyly, or the creation of a recreational zone Radotín Lakes.
 

location	proposed change
Masaryk Station - Florenc	revitalization of the area and incorporation into the city infrastructure due to the release of areas of Masaryk Station as a result of a new railway infrastructure solution and the limitation of the areas of the Central Bus Station Florenc
Žižkov Freight Station and Vackov a. s. complex	relocation of railway transport, incorporation of the area into the city structure
Smíchov - south, between Ostrovského, Nádražní, Dobříšská, Radlická streets, and overpass on Na Zlíchově street	revitalization of the area in connection with the planned reconstruction of the railway station, multi-functional and residential development
Bubny - Zátory	revitalization of the area
Hagibor	completion of urbanization of the area while preserving sports facilities and creating a square, realization of a second vestibule at Želivského station
Bohdalec - Slatiny	acceleration of urbanization of the area, transportation connections, establishment of a city park, creation of a residential neighborhood adjacent to the existing buildings

 

location	proposal
New Town, in front of the old city museum building	construction of an exhibition operation building for the City Museum of Prague and a park with modern landscaping, an underground parking facility, and a connection between the old and new museum building
old Vršovice town hall at Moskevská street	reconstruction and expansion of the building for the needs of the city center, i.e., ceremonial hall, spaces for cultural events, restaurant with hotel, fitness center, pool, smaller shops
Břevnov	construction of the Central Transport Dispatcher and Station for emergency services of the integrated rescue system
Kbely, historic core	abolition of the designation of the historic core of the municipality, construction of a modern center
Sedlec, former freezing plant area	calming of the area, construction of residential buildings
surrounding the railway underpass Průběžná - Švehlova	construction of the transfer hub Zahradní Město
surrounding the Roztyly metro station	construction of administrative, multi-functional, and residential buildings, hotel, sports and relaxation center, parking lot, creation of a park area - boulevard, and recreational park
Radotín - U Čekanu	creation of the Radotín Lakes recreational zone
entire area of the capital city	methodology for regulating the height of buildings