Development boom below Sněžka. Locals criticize the 800-million-crown apartments in Velká Úpa
Until now, construction in Pec pod Sněžkou has mainly taken place in the town center. That is changing with the new Rezidence pod Portáškami project, which will rise on the edge of the road leading from the Velká Úpa district into Pec pod Sněžkou. The project, consisting of six connected apartment buildings, envisages 150 to 160 apartments and underground parking for 200 cars. The ground floor will house commercial space and two doctors' offices, which will be handed over to the town free of charge once completed.
Local mayor Ilona Semrádová (SNK Velká Úpa – Pec) said the offices will provide services currently lacking in the town, noting that the town has no general practitioner. „The town has a contract with the investor for two non-residential spaces, including parking, which the investor will hand over to the town free of charge as a gift once construction is complete. We plan to place doctors' offices there, one for a dentist and one for a general practitioner,“ the mayor added, noting that the town has a dentist but lacks a general practitioner.
Construction of the complex will follow the demolition of the existing buildings, which was originally supposed to begin this year but was postponed due to problems with the building permit. „We already had the building permit, but Pec appealed, citing non-compliance with the zoning plan. The regional authority rejected the appeal and confirmed that we are in compliance with the zoning plan,“ said Jiří Lívanec, representative of the Aequitas investment group.
Five existing buildings will make way for the residence, including a former pub, Hotel Hela, a rental shop, and a bowling alley, all of which have been closed for years. „Demolition could begin in September. Everything will take place on our own land,“ said Jiří Lívanec. He added that the demolition work will not in any way restrict traffic on the key road into the mountain resort.
Rezidence pod Portáškami will be similar to the Svatý Vavřinec apartment complex by investor Martin Kubík, which he opened in the center of Pec in 2018. Multi-story, wood-clad residential towers will rise from a structure covered with soil. „At first glance, it will look like six separate buildings. But they will be connected by an underground parking garage,“ said Lívanec, adding that the investor already has one similar project in the Krkonoše mountains. That is the 30-apartment building in Herlíkovice near Vrchlabí, from 2023.
The investment in Velká Úpa follows a broader trend of apartment construction in the area. In the very center of Pec pod Sněžkou, construction of further luxury complexes is already under way. For some, these projects are welcome investments, but at the same time they raise concerns about preserving the traditional character of the region. Locals fear a rise in tourism, which is already straining infrastructure and eroding the area's quiet, rural character.
Although this construction boom attracts investors, for local residents this rapid transformation is becoming a source of frustration, writes the Krkonoše regional Deník. „Velká Úpa used to be a quiet place where we lived in harmony with nature. Now we're worried it will become an overcrowded tourist destination,“ says one local resident who wished to remain anonymous.
The greatest outrage so far has been triggered by a development project by the company Bergalm. It intends to build the luxury Bouda Jelení potok apartments in a strictly protected landscape area just three kilometers from the center of Pec pod Sněžkou. Local residents and others have strongly opposed this plan, signing petitions and even demonstrating in front of the KRNAP (Krkonoše National Park) administration building.
Several other development projects are already under way in the surrounding areas. For example, Úpa Resort, which will have nearly 30 apartments and is due to be completed next year, is already changing the face of the local Krkonoše landscape, as it has risen on the site of the dilapidated Hotel Uran. What bothers local residents most, however, is that apartments and hotel complexes are being built purely for commercial use. For example, the still-unfinished Úpa Resort reports that more than a third of its apartments are already sold or reserved, with the smallest apartments starting at around 7 million crowns, while the largest, at 149 square meters, are available for 24 million.
„The drop in mortgage interest rates has had a big impact – since April the market has started moving again. Every month we negotiate with plenty of clients. Unlike Pec, Velká Úpa is a location not yet burdened by overtourism, and it's attractive to clients. I have no doubt that by the time construction is finished, we'll have sold the apartments,“ said real estate agent Petr Kaplan of Svoboda & partneři, according to iDNES.cz.
The center of Pec pod Sněžkou itself has also undergone revolutionary changes. There, too, some old buildings have made way for new ones. For example, in 2020 the Grand Hotel Hradec opened on the site of the former Hotel Hradec, a project by investor Tomáš Otruba. In the center of Pec, construction of another apartment complex, the Wellness & Spa Resort Svatá Barbora, worth several hundred million crowns, began this spring, with the first guests expected to be welcomed at the end of 2027. This project is also backed by entrepreneur Martin Kubík.
The Krkonoše mountains, once known for their natural beauty and peaceful atmosphere, are facing growing pressure brought on by rapid development and an influx of wealthier tourists. While some welcome the new investments, others fear this trend will disrupt the balance between development and the preservation of nature that made the region famous.
Author: Viktor Horák, Echo24.cz Source: https://www.echo24.cz/…ve-velke-upe