The amendment to the building law will come into effect, bringing a new office for large constructions

Prague - As of July 1, a comprehensive government amendment to the new Building Act of 2021 comes into effect, which completely abolishes the planned Supreme Building Authority and the system of regional building authorities under it. Instead, it leaves building authorities at the municipal level. However, it establishes, effective from the stated date, a new office, the Transport and Energy Building Authority (DESÚ), subordinate to the Ministry of Transport.

From next year, it will permit reserved constructions, primarily large infrastructure projects. As the only building authority, it will itself assess issues related to public health protection in the case of building approvals, instead of the regional hygiene stations. It will also grant permissions for related constructions.

"The purpose is to have one authority for such large and specific constructions that will grant permits, which will have enough experts specialized in such constructions and who know them very well," states DESÚ on its website. According to the new Building Act, this authority will begin approving constructions from January 1 of next year. Six months later, on July 1, 2024, the new Building Act will be fully applicable to all constructions.

The new Building Act of 2021, which was advocated by the then government of Andrej Babiš (ANO), was supposed to establish a state building administration led by the Supreme Building Authority from this July. The current government coalition, which criticized the new Building Act while in opposition, last year pushed for a one-year delay in the launch of the state building administration. Meanwhile, it prepared another proposal, which is now coming into effect and which completely abolishes the Supreme Building Authority. Some amendments in the current, most recent amendment to the Building Act, which passed through Parliament this spring, were agreed upon by the government coalition and the opposition. The amendment retains the 694 current building offices in municipalities with the possibility of reducing this number based on construction activity.

Once the amended Building Act comes into effect, it is expected to shorten and simplify the building process. This will be facilitated, for example, by a procedure where the building authority will itself contact other involved authorities and obtain their statements in a so-called coordinated binding opinion. This opinion will also now include the so-called unified environmental statement (JES) according to a completely new law. This law will come into effect on January 1, 2024. Ultimately, there should be just one stamp for the builder. The building authority would also be able to initiate discussions with the involved authorities and the builder if necessary.

If someone appeals against the decision of the building authority, the superior authority will have to decide. The case will not be returned to a lower level.