The councilors of Prague 6 are against the construction in the vicinity of the Džbán area, the opposition is also against it

Prague - The councilors of Prague 6 are against the construction around the Džbán complex. They agreed on this at their meeting today, informed ČTK spokesman Jiří Hannich. The company Molepo, which owns the Džbán swimming pool, wants to build residential buildings on the plots on Evropská Street. A change in the zoning plan is necessary for construction near Džbán. This condition is set by the company to proceed with the renovation of the area, which, according to the company's director Jiří Němec, is in a state of emergency. The swimming pool is to be closed for this season, the company Molepo announced earlier on their website.

"The efforts of Molepo are not in line with the interests of Prague 6 and its residents. We do not agree with the nonsensical conditions and we will not submit to them," stated the mayor of Prague 6, Ondřej Kolář (TOP 09).

According to the councilors of the sixth district, the capital city should, among other things, terminate the discussions on the change of the zoning plan around Džbán and attempt to acquire the plots of land in the immediate vicinity of the reservoir. The resolution of the council was approved as a recommendation to the Prague 6 council. They are set to discuss the future of the swimming pool at their meeting on February 28. If the metropolis acquires the plots and gives them to the sixth district for management, Prague 6 is, according to its deputy mayor Jakub Stárek (ODS), prepared to cooperate with the capital city to revitalize the swimming pool area.

The fact that the company Molepo conditions the opening of the area on a change in the zoning plan in the locality was labeled as "unacceptable" by the opposition Pirates, and similarly expressed by the opposition Greens in Prague 6. According to the Pirates of Prague 6, the magistrate should negotiate with the company about the purchase of the affected plots at a price determined by an expert assessment.

According to the director of Molepo, the area requires renovation and investments of about 100 million crowns. "Without the planned construction, we are unable to reconstruct the area of the natural swimming pool or its surroundings," mentioned Němec on the website. According to him, the goal of Molepo is to renovate the surroundings of the Džbán reservoir and to construct residential buildings on the plots in Evropská Street and along the Cube building in Prague 6.

The company wanted to construct in the area earlier. However, that plan faced opposition from the residents of Prague 6 and the city hall leadership. The public has also expressed their opposition to the construction now. A petition against the development of the plots around the Džbán reservoir has so far been signed by about 9,000 people. They are demanding, among other things, the preservation of the character of the area as a recreational and green space and the return of the Džbán swimming pool and surrounding plots to public ownership.

The company Molepo acquired the entire area in 2012 for approximately 53 million crowns and was the only participant in the auction of the assets of the liquidated state enterprise Prague Sewerage and Waterways. The area around the reservoir is considered an entry gate to Šárka Valley. According to the current form of the zoning plan, the locality is designated exclusively for relaxation and recreation.