The reconstruction of the Grand Square in Hradec Králové could begin in 2027

Hradec Králové – The long-planned reconstruction of the historic Great Square in Hradec Králové could begin in 2027. The estimated costs amount to 260 to 300 million crowns. The city hall will carry out the renewal according to a new concept. The entire square is intended to be a shared zone, where no form of transport is prioritized. City representatives informed journalists of this today. A petition has been created against the planned reconstruction, with critics primarily objecting to the significant reduction of parking spaces.

"We want to open the square to people so that they can walk there without large barriers, so the space can be fundamentally revitalized and not belong solely to parked cars," said Mayor Pavlína Springerová (Hradecký demokratický klub). Two rows of trees are to be planted in the square, along with water features and a drainage system that would help cool the area. Instead of cobblestones, the square should be paved with cut paving stones, and restaurant terraces should have a uniform character.

The current number of 230 parking spaces in the center of the square is expected to be reduced to 65 spaces on the southern and northern sides of the square. The center of the square should be for pedestrians and should be a place for public activities. The reduction of parking spaces is to be compensated by the creation of new parking spaces on the surrounding streets of Komenského and Víta Nejedlého. "About 90 perpendicular parking spaces should be added in Komenského Street," said architect Jaromír Chmelík. He reminded that in previous years, two parking garages with eight hundred spaces were built near the Great Square.

A petition named For the Preservation of Life in the Great Square was created against the changes planned by the city hall in December. "Without the possibility of transport service and access to the Great Square, the historic center will cease to thrive and become a ghost town," states the petition, which has been signed by over 200 people. According to the representatives of the petitioners, led by Karel Pohner, the problem could be resolved by building an underground parking garage as previously considered by the former city leadership.

The city hall no longer counts on building an underground parking garage. The city leadership is ready to discuss the transformation of the square with its opponents. According to the mayor, experiences from places that prioritized people over cars do not confirm entrepreneurs' fears. "Nowhere has it been confirmed that their businesses went bankrupt. It is possible that there will be a change in the clientele of their businesses. But the transformation of the square is necessary if we do not want it to become a heat island and an embarrassing parking lot," she said.

The city has been preparing the repair of the square since 2007. However, construction has not started yet due to objections from some residents. Various efforts by the city to unblock the situation have not been successful. The city's request for the issuance of a zoning decision has been under review by the building authority in Hořice since August 2016, where the zoning proceedings were transferred due to suspected bias by the city management and the Hradec authority.

The new city leadership that emerged from the 2022 elections decided last year to change the basic concept of the square's reconstruction and include new requirements. A new concept for the city was developed by a consortium of companies ARN studio and Architects Chmelík & Partners. It builds on the original reconstruction proposal from ARN studio, which the city selected for the square's renewal in 2009.

The city hall will present the new concept to councilors, the public, local entrepreneurs, and local government committees in the coming weeks. The city would like to have the project documentation processed by the end of this year. If the city could obtain a combined zoning decision and building permit in 2026, construction could begin in 2027.