Pardubice is approaching the approval of the zoning plan after 16 years

Pardubice - Representatives of Pardubice today attended the third repeated public discussion of the draft urban plan. The city has been preparing the document for 16 years. By the end of June, it should be approved by the councilors. ČTK was informed by Deputy Mayor René Živný (Together for Pardubice). The document determines the development of the city, specifying where construction, residential areas, businesses, or nature protection can take place.

"Time-wise we are perfectly fine, but we should submit it to the councilors by the end of June. Of course, I am in intense negotiations with representatives of all council clubs; it is a key material, a key document for the city, and it needs to be approved,” said Živný.

The city has had an approved urban plan since 2001, and in 2010 it began working on a new one. Because the city has been preparing the urban plan for a long time, practically immediately after its approval, people will start requesting changes to the urban plan, Živný pointed out. "It’s not some extravagance of someone; it responds to current construction and needs in the area; it’s a living document. It’s an ongoing process,” said the deputy.

At public meetings, people repeatedly raised concerns that with the new document, they risk losing their gardens in gardening colonies because one day a road might lead through their area. An example is the northeastern bypass and the southeastern bypass, which have routing around gardening areas. "It’s not the case that tomorrow excavators will move in and take it from them. The city is here to communicate and negotiate with people. We are here for the people,” said Živný.

Architect Milan Svoboda, who is working on the new urban plan, hopes that the third meeting was the last and the entire process will be closed. He will address the final comments and submit the document to the city for the councilors to approve. "I don’t want to jinx it. We thought that after the second discussion it would lead to the issuance, unfortunately, some minor issues for resolution were found again,” said Svoboda.