Ostrava Divided Over New Housing Estate in Flood-Prone Area

A dispute has flared up in Ostrava's Stará Bělá district over plans to build on land that has been submerged during major floods in the past. The developer Domy-Twins intends to build a residential estate there, but local residents and city officials fear the new houses could themselves be at risk of flooding — and that raising the ground level for construction could redirect floodwater onto neighbouring properties.

According to Domy-Twins spokesman Michal Baroš, the disputed land has long been officially designated for development under the current zoning plan, a fact well known to the owners of nearby houses. The company stresses that the project has been in preparation for three years — since before the 2024 floods — and is not a spontaneous reaction to the current situation. At present, the developer is only seeking permission to build infrastructure for the first 12 private homes, with a separate decision to follow on the development itself.

Baroš also noted that the final phase of the project — another 17 houses plus supporting infrastructure — has not yet been approved, so it would be misleading to present the entire planned scope as already under construction. He said the company is taking the lessons of the 1997 and 2024 floods seriously and adapting the project accordingly, adding that the plot in question does not formally fall within the active flood zone.

Residents fear another flood

Local residents see things differently. On social media, they have voiced outrage over plans to build on land that has already been flooded before, worried that raising the ground level on the new plots will simply push water onto their own homes. Many are asking who would even want to live there — and who would be willing to insure such property.

Mojmír Krejčíček, mayor of the Stará Bělá district, is also sceptical. He stressed that he is not opposed to new development in general, but that this particular site is problematic — the lower part of the area has historically flooded on a regular basis. According to him, the plot lies within the officially documented "hundred-year flood" zone of the Odra River.

The mayor pointed out that water tends to pool and drain poorly in this low-lying area due to the terrain, meaning future residents could face evacuation orders as well as difficulties insuring their homes — from insurers refusing coverage altogether to premiums running as high as ten thousand crowns a year. He himself lives on higher ground above the disputed plot, yet still runs into trouble insuring his own house.

A dispute over infrastructure and liability

Local authorities have another concern: once built, the new access road and stormwater drainage serving the estate would have to be taken over by the municipal administration. The mayor explained that the district is simply protecting its own assets — if damage occurs, it should be the developer or a management company, not the municipality, that deals with it and foots the bill.

Krejčíček said the district council will discuss the project at a meeting next week, with the municipality required to submit its official position by 10 October. He also noted that the state enterprise Povodí Odry, which manages the Odra river basin, has likewise spoken out against the development.

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Source: novinky.cz