Penta’s planned Central Business District for Prague will have to pass an environmental assessment process. The City of Prague is demanding a full EIA for the project, which was designed by Zaha Hadid. The city wants to find out what kind of impact the developer’s CBD will have on the Prague magistrala, a main road artery that cuts through the center of the capital. The EIA process could delay the vast redevelopment of the area surrounding the Masaryk train station and the Florenc metro station by at least two years. The decision will also allow civic and ecological activists to appeal the project, which might further slow down the development process. Activists may also challenge the planning and construction permits in court. Klub za starou Prahu is one of the project’s biggest critics, claiming that the plans do not respect the city’s historical structures. The club wants the buildings to be lower and also include flats.
