The town of Polička in the Svitavsko region would like to make progress in negotiations on the purchase of an abandoned cow and calf farm by the end of the year. It wants to use the four hectares for housing development. Negotiations have been going on for several months and there are a number of landowners in the area, according to Mayor Jaroslav Martinů (ODS).
“The site has about four hectares, it would be a relatively large development area for 20 years for the construction of villas, apartment buildings and family houses. It would be a wonderful thing for Polička,” Martinů said.
The site of the former cow and calf farm in Družstevní Street has been abandoned for several years. The city estimates that developers could gradually build eight villas, apartment buildings with 80 flats, and there is room for 40 plots for the construction of family houses. Polička’s population is dwindling, a decline the city government wants to stop by offering new apartments.
“We need to build, say, 50 flats a year together, that’s the only right way. In 20 years we have lost about 800 inhabitants, I am unhappy about that. And when I look at the demographic trends, I don’t even want to talk about it, it makes me sad, more people are dying than are being born, people are moving away,” Martinů noted.
The former cowshed has a number of owners, the main one being Agronea. “We have now agreed on the next steps, I would be happy if we could get it under some kind of contract by the end of the year. The area is worth about 40 million crowns. All the stakeholders must have guarantees. We have already done a lot of work on it, but there is still a lot to do. There will be crap to tear down, nurseries to demolish, there will be a lot more to worry about,” the mayor said.
Source: Polička and CTK