<p>The construction law can assist with development, but it can also threaten the character of cities.</p>

Prague - The amendment to the building law, which is being discussed by the MPs today in the first reading, can improve the construction environment in the Czech Republic if implemented properly. However, the introduction of legislative changes alone may not accelerate construction. It would still be necessary to ensure sufficient capacities and revise some regulations. Moreover, the amendment may pose a threat to the heritage character of cities and municipalities. This is based on statements from experts and professional associations available to ČTK.

According to the proponents, the amendment to the building law is primarily intended to speed up the approval of buildings and to establish mainly a centralized state construction administration. The goal is to introduce a single procedure led by one office with one permit and one administrative and judicial review. The new central office is to be called the Office of Land Development. The change in the law would also accelerate the approval of residential buildings with a floor area starting from 10,000 square meters.

According to the president of the Union of Builders in the Czech Republic, Jiří Nouza, builders have long called for a legally correct and practically functional legal framework. "We perceive the first reading of the amendment as an opportunity to move closer to a system that will allow for faster, more efficient construction with a greater degree of certainty for all parties involved – investors, municipalities, and the state," Nouza said. Vice President of the union, Zdeněk Soudný, warned that if the comprehensive proposal falls apart, there is a risk that the law will bring further uncertainties instead of simplification.

The Association of Rental Housing welcomes the proposed amendment to the law. According to its Vice President, Stanislav Kubáček, housing availability in the Czech Republic will not improve as long as construction is limited, slow, and unpredictable as it has been. The inclusion of mass residential buildings among so-called reserved constructions could change the pace of construction, in his view. "However, it will be important for the acceleration of the procedures not to become bogged down in practice due to new types of delays or a lack of capacities," added Kubáček.

Igor Forberger, the managing director of the building materials manufacturer Xella, sees the situation similarly. He considers the change in the building law a step in the right direction, but believes that the amendment alone will not solve the issue of slow construction. "The key will be its practical functioning in combination with the digitalization of processes, the unification of interpretations by building authorities, and a truly functional unified environmental statement. These steps can significantly shorten approval processes and reduce construction costs," Forberger said.

On the other hand, the Czech National Committee of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ČNK ICOMOS) has expressed concerns about the amendment to the building law. In an open letter to Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO), they wrote that the change in the law could threaten some elements that currently protect the heritage character of cities and municipalities. The cancellation of protective zones of municipalities could jeopardize the image of the urban heritage of the Czech Republic, which is ensured by, for example, the historical centers of cities. However, ČNK ICOMOS also finds problematic the transfer of state heritage conservation tasks in heritage zones to building authorities, or the fact that heritage conservation should begin assessing the quality of new architectural creations.