Development area (zastavitelná plocha)

Under the Czech Building Act a development area (zastavitelná plocha) is an area intended for construction, designated in the municipal zoning plan or, in some cases, in the regional development principles or the national territorial development plan. It is often today's field, meadow or garden on the edge of a village where the municipality expects new houses, amenities or industry; it can also lie inside the built-up area. In plans drawn up in the uniform standard its label starts with Z (e.g. Z.1), and its conditions follow the type of land-use zone it belongs to.

What it means for a buyer

A development area matters both ways. Next to a house it means today's view of fields may later be replaced by new buildings. When buying a plot, on the other hand, being inside a development area or the built-up area is usually a precondition for building a house on it.

Why a building permit is not automatic

• The plan may make decisions in the area conditional on a planning study, a regulatory plan or a planning agreement. It sets a deadline of at most 6 years; if it passes without result, the condition lapses.
• Utilities or access from a public road may be missing.
• On farmland, consent to remove the land from the agricultural land fund is needed, and a levy is usually payable for the land removed.
• The zone's conditions (use, height, extent of building) still apply, and the building authority assesses whether a project complies.

Frequently asked questions

Can the municipality cancel a development area?

Yes. By amending the zoning plan the municipality can reduce the area, change its use or cancel it. An owner who suffers a loss may, under statutory conditions, claim compensation, mainly for the costs of preparing construction. The claim is limited in time, however: currently it does not arise if the cancellation came more than 5 years after the plan that allowed building took effect.

Is a plot in a development area automatically a building parcel?

No. The zoning plan sets the future use, while the land register records the current state. A plot in a development area is often still registered as arable land or grassland, and the land type in the register changes only later, typically in connection with the construction.