A panel discussion on Prague Master Plan, organized by the Commission for the Environment of the Czech Academy of Sciences and STUŽ, an association for sustainable development, was held on 15 March.

In its current form, the Plan cannot be a matter of any discussion or approval, the organizers said.

The deadline set by the law for submission of cities' development plans is December 2020 and Prague is lagging behind - expected date of publishing of the Prague Master Plan is 2022-2023, representative of the Prague City Hall said.

The organizers of the event disagree with the prediction of increase of Prague's population by 400,000 by 2050 and with the idea of pressure on the development of the inner city rather than periphery. They suggest closer cooperation and connection - in the areas of common interest - of Prague with Central Bohemian towns in the vicinity of the city, such as Lysa n. Labem, Milovice, Kralupy n. Vltavou etc 

The Prague Master Plan does not promote the idea of polycentric development of the city, i.e.of "a city of short distances and low requirements related to transportation", as stipulated by the Principles of urban development of Prague, approved at the regional level.

Read a summary of the debate in Czech here.

Read also about smart city initiatives of Prague 3 (parking), Prague 14 (energy monitoring in buildings), Prague (dust bins) or Zlín.