Ostrava authority rules Bedřiška demolition broke regulations

The demolition of five houses in the former mining settlement of Bedřiška in Ostrava was carried out in breach of legal regulations and based on insufficient documentation, the city authority has ruled. The decision followed a complaint from Eva Lehotská, spokesperson for the settlement’s residents. The city has annulled the original demolition approval, but the houses were already torn down by the end of last year.

Lehotská said residents are still seeking to buy or obtain building rights for the remaining houses in an effort to preserve the settlement. Activists had previously tried to halt the demolition, even sitting on the roof of one of the houses for several weeks.

“We submitted the complaint because it was clear from the start that the owner’s actions, and those of the local authority and building office, were not lawful. The city’s decision confirmed our concerns, noting multiple breaches of construction and administrative regulations,” Lehotská added.