iROZHLAS and MfD: Developers want to start building a hall for Amazon near Boršov this year

Boršov nad Vltavou – Developers want to start building a hall for the American online retailer Amazon in Boršov nad Vltavou near České Budějovice this year, with completion expected in the second half of 2028. However, local residents are concerned about increased traffic and an influx of workers, as indicated by a meeting on Tuesday between developers and community residents. This was reported by the servers

The land where the hall is to be built belongs to the development firms Accolade and Garbe. They are part of a complex next to the former military airport near České Budějovice. According to the project, the two-story hall for Amazon will be over 16 meters high and nearly 500 meters long. The zoning plan allows for the construction in that location. Accolade and Garbe are currently collecting documents to apply for building permits. Amazon is expected to sign a 20-year lease agreement with the investors according to the plan.

The mayor of Boršov, Romana Rýcová, stated that the municipality was informed about the project only at the end of April. She is more open to the proposal after visiting Kojetín in the Přerov region, where Amazon has one of its two existing halls in the Czech Republic. "We learned what it means for the community in terms of traffic and the size of the hall. It’s the first time we see the design of the entire building, how big it will be," said Boršov resident Eva Horáková.

The mayor also fears traffic deterioration. "Already now, the traffic flow on the E55 around the industrial zone is not entirely ideal, considering that many people travel to Budějovice in the morning for work. The peak is quite harsh there," she said. Locals also alerted community representatives to monitor any efforts to build accommodations for employees. The mayor assured during the meeting that the leadership of Boršov would not allow anything like that near the hall.

American Amazon is the largest online store in the world. It has been operating in the Czech Republic since 2013 and has so far invested more than 26 billion crowns. Amazon opened its first distribution center in the Czech Republic in 2015 in Dobrovíz near Prague. The second distribution center in Kojetín was launched by the company in June 2023. Last year, Amazon employed an average of 3,660 workers in the Czech Republic.