Prague’s vision for managing its growth
Prague is growing, but not enough is being done to meet the demands of that growth. The Metropolitan Plan aims to address this issue. Its development began in 2012, and it was first published after six years of preparation. Radio Prague spoke with Jaromír Hainc, Director of the City Development Section, to learn more about the plan and the changes planned for the city.
The Metropolitan Plan for Prague has undergone several rounds of feedback from state authorities, the public, and municipal districts, notably in 2018, 2022, and again this year. The Urban Development Department at Prague City Hall reviewed the comments, and the Prague Institute of Planning and Development (IPR) incorporated them into the latest version of the plan. This updated version is now on display at the Center for Architecture and Metropolitan Planning (CAMP) from October 20 to December 3, 2025.
Visitors will be able to review the various sections of the plan, which Jaromír Hainc outlined for us at Radio Prague:
“The Metropolitan Plan is trying to set up the qualities of neighborhoods and make it possible to develop key areas, such as the city center, brownfields, and new areas on the outskirts. It simplifies land use but introduces more regulations for the built environment, like height limits. The aim [of the plan] is to clearly define where and what can be built, while preserving the quality of housing estates and garden cities. In new development areas, we set up more flexible conditions, but certain parameters, like height limits, must be followed.”
Since the 1930s, urban planning promoted the idea that a city should be divided into zones for work, living, and recreation, with transportation zones connecting them for people to move between. Sustainable development, however, stresses that such segmented areas are ultimately impossible with a large population.
That is why one of the key concerns of urban city planners in Prague is the city sprawl. Hainc says that the Metropolitan Plan directly aims to tackle this problem head-on:
“The main emphasis of the plan is to increase the use of inner-city brownfields and areas with existing infrastructure and public transport. By providing more space in Prague, we hope to reduce the need for development on the outskirts and limit urban sprawl.”
An important component of the plan is to prioritize green spaces.
“One of the ten key principles of the Metropolitan Plan is to prioritize public spaces. We’ve clearly outlined squares, streets, and recreational areas, including sports fields, in the plan. We also set up a hierarchy for green spaces, so both the city and boroughs can manage and invest in parks.”
But a key point of the plan is to incorporate Prague’s citizens in the planning, making sure to take their concerns directly into account. Hainc continues:
“Now people can once again view the plan, and everyone can submit comments or express their approval of how the plan looks. After that, we will prepare the final version to be published and ready for approval by the City Assembly next spring or summer. So as of today, I hope that in six or seven months, we will be ready to start working with the Metropolitan Plan.”
https://praha.eu/web/metropolitniplan/
