Suburbanization Trends and Sustainable Commuting: Will the Construction Act Amendment Change the Landscape?
The discussion surrounding the current proposal to amend the Construction Act (Parliamentary Print 67) has moved to the committee stage in the Chamber of Deputies following its first reading. The primary declared objective is the acceleration of construction, particularly regarding residential buildings. The shortage of affordable housing remains a pressing issue in major cities, both in the Czech Republic and abroad, giving rise to the pervasive trend of suburbanization. This raises the question: does the proposed amendment truly have the ambition to reverse this trend, and will an increase in housing construction alone suffice?
Sustainable Commuting and Functional Urban Areas
On February 5, 2026, the Official Journal of the EU published a notice regarding the European Court of Auditors’ Special Report (05/2026) entitled "Sustainable Commuting in Urban Areas." The report emphasizes that measures taken at the local level are critical for future development.
To promote sustainable mobility in the face of suburbanization, the European Commission has recently championed the concept of Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs). These are defined as strategic frameworks designed to improve accessibility and mobility for people, businesses, and goods within a "functional urban area" in a sustainable manner. This term encompasses a city and its commuting zone—defined as the surrounding area where at least 15% of the residents work within the city itself.
Audit Findings: The Gap in Spatial Planning
The audit assessed the effectiveness of measures taken by the EC and Member State authorities to support sustainable transport for commuters in large metropolitan areas. The Czech Republic was among the six Member States sampled, with a specific focus on projects within the Prague functional urban area.
The ECA audit found that strategic mobility plans often lacked measures to discourage the use of private automobiles. While most plans addressed parking organization (e.g., restrictions in certain zones), only half included provisions for other critical aspects, such as spatial planning.
The Intersection of Law and Urban Strategy
Spatial planning is fundamental to regional development and is significantly impacted by the pending amendment to the Construction Act. A substantial amendment has already been tabled concerning "Housing Acceleration Area Plans." This proposal utilizes the concept of the "15-minute city" and promotes "inward" development centered around transport hubs.
While it remains to be seen whether this specific amendment will succeed, it represents an important piece of the legislative puzzle. The integration of urban planning tools has the potential to address suburbanization; however, the ECA report suggests that the key to success lies in concrete measures regarding parking, public transport, and car-use regulation.
While the current draft of the Construction Act focuses primarily on accelerating housing delivery, it has yet to sufficiently address these aspects of sustainable mobility. It will be vital to observe how the proposal is refined during the legislative process to ensure it contributes not only to housing availability but also to the long-term sustainability of urban mobility.
Note: Localized from Czech via AI
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