The Czech Ministry of Local Development wants to push through an amendment to the construction law that would merge the planning and construction permit processes, writes Hospodářské noviny. Officials hope this will simplify and speed up the bumpy and lengthy permitting process, in which a developer has to secure approvals from 40 different offices before construction can begin on a large-scale project. Under the proposed amendment, securing permission from the local construction office will be enough to start construction on a family home or commercial project, while more complicated projects, such as motorways or the extension of the Temelín power plant, will be handled by ministry of transport or industry. The amendment should be valid in July 2016.
