Search

In the introductory remarks, the paper highlights the shared past of the central European countries and the most important historical moments for the development of the public administration. Further, the paper points out various theoretical approaches to the definition of the term public service, public administration and its classification concerning the academic background in the Czech Republic. Subsequently, the primary public service legislation in the Czech Republic is referred out. On this basis, public service and administration challenges and issues are formulated. The authors approach the concept of public service in a broader sense, focusing on public service in general, service of the state officials, officials of territorial self-governing municipality units, as well as public services provided by the private sector. The paper examines the new role of the public administration in the global health and public services crisis. The authors evaluate the possibilities of the new governance methods for re-directing the public service and administration to the new role of the crisis and post-crisis managers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper contributes to the research on social enterprises. Based on historical institutionalism, we map the evolution of social enterprises in the Czech Republic and Slovakia after the collapse of communist rule. The findings indicate that the historical-evolutionary trajectories differ, despite their common path during the totalitarian regime. There is some convergence based on significant political changes that resulted mostly in the need to create integrated legislation and to reflect the common European policy; the divergent trends occur after exogenous economic shocks, the effects of which might result from the differing initial macroeconomic situations in both countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Czech Republic, like many other European countries, is characterised by a large number of chateau buildings and sites. Historical events of the last century have caused that in the countries of the socalled Eastern Bloc the original use of these buildings was largely interrupted and the overall management of these properties was neglected. This, together with other factors, led to the creation of a large number of chateau brownfields, which are still visible in the Czech Republic today. The aim of this paper is to determine on the background of a descriptive analysis the key characteristics of chateau brownfields associated in particular with their localization and to reveal any similarities and differences that result from their location within selected LAU1 regions. The analysis is based on the primary research of 367 chateau buildings in 4 NUTS3 regions of the Czech Republic and is unique in its concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dilapidated, neglected, or abandoned sites and buildings (so-called brownfields) are frequently neither visually attractive nor aesthetically valuable. Indeed, neglected brownfields contribute to the emergence of both objective and subjective barriers to the social, economic, and environmental development of communities. We also know that the occurrence of decayed brownfields affect the prices of residential housing in their vicinity. In our paper, we seek to better understand the impact of brownfields on the perceived value of neighbouring properties. We are also keen to shed more light on the factors behind the allegedly undesirable impact of brownfields on property values. Our research is based primarily on data obtained from a survey of 1,152 respondents in ten municipalities situated at the eastern part of the Czech Republic, where neglected brownfields frequently occur. The findings are complemented by an analysis of sales of residential properties located in proximity to brownfield sites, to further confirm our preliminary survey results. The results confirmed that neglected brownfields tend to negatively affect the value of neighbouring residential properties. Our results also signal that the concentration of socially unacceptable behaviour is considered a key issue for distorting property prices around brownfields. Our analyses have confirmed that distance from a particular brownfield is one of the factors significantly influencing property prices. We claim that neglected brownfields create negative externalities that require public sector interventions and better planning. We urgently need more systematic support for brownfield regeneration to improve the quality of life of residents in affected communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brownfield regeneration is one of the key measures for sustainable development and it combines three pillars - economic, environmental and social. The aim of this paper is to identify interlinkages between strategic, financial and regional frameworks of brownfield regeneration in the Czech Republic. The first part of the paper consists of literature review associated with brownfield regeneration. The second part of paper focuses on practical aspects of brownfield regeneration in the Czech Republic during the period 2000 to 2020. This empirical part is based on analysis of strategic documents, financial instruments and regional disparities. In this paper, national level and regional level data were applied (7 NUTS II regions excluding the region of the capital city Prague). Data summarizing the drawn funds or allocated financial amount to support the regeneration of brownfields from EU funds were obtained from secondary sources mainly (national strategies, websites of individual operational programs or national programs). The results show certain time delay in solving this issue in this post-socialistic country in comparison with Western European countries. Data also indicate noticeable differences between regions, both in terms of the number of brownfields and their regeneration, especially in terms of a number of projects or financial resources. Another finding is that the Czech Republic significantly improved the strategic planning of brownfield regeneration and as this problem is cross-sectional more institutions are involved both in strategic and financial dimension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purpose of the paper is to analyse the procedures of urban brownfield solutions, with a focus on the environmental and cultural-historical aspects. The paper explores the dilemmas of brownfield regeneration and redevelopment. These processes are placed in the wider perspective of multi - transformation processes of post-communist cities. We compared two former industrial zones - Karolina and the Lower Area of Vítkovice in the city of Ostrava - where we illustrated the key factors influencing their transformation. These case studies point to a unique example of urban industrial brownfields concentrated within the area around the city centre, surrounded by residential zones. These brownfields also reveal the scope of the problem, as they are connected not only with the urban structure, but also with environmental, economic, social and cultural aspects. To research the issue in depth, we mostly used a qualitative approach to examine perceptions and to frame the brownfield issue. We partly applied frame analysis, a narrative approach and we also used research techniques such as document content analysis, and in-depth interviews with relevant stakeholders who are involved in the remediation of brownfields and their subsequent re-use (N=15). We researched how stakeholders perceive and frame the problem and which solutions they prefer. Moreover, having made a comparison of the state of affairs between 2001 and 2012, we presented a deeper insight into the topic. We found quite a wide range of opinions toward the brownfields issue and its solutions. The main issues were related to people striving to find the identity of the city and the tension between the old and the new: looking for the direction of future development and the face of the city of Ostrava. We identified location, level of environmental degradation and social-economic conditions as the main factors that influence the brownfield issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been precisely two decades since the political transition in central Europe, which left post-socialist cities, and the Czech cities in particular, with a massive legacy of brownfields in key urban locations. This paper describes the causes and nature of this urban challenge, the growing awareness of brownfields as a problem, and the gradual emergence of the policies, institutions and understandings that allowed brownfields to begin to be brought back into substantial use. This broad historical picture is supplemented with a more detailed description of two current pressing issues (national level brownfield leadership and inventory). The paper concludes with a discussion of the broader lessons of these two decades for other places and other complex urban issues requiring broad integrative changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current period marked by the need to address a number of economic and social challenges in the context of the sustainable development of towns and municipalities, the issue of the regeneration and reuse of brownfields is a topic that can help find an effective solution on the local, national and international level. The aim of this article is to assess the use of tools in the process of the regeneration of brownfields on the territory of municipalities with extended competence in the Czech Republic. The information contained in this paper was compiled on the basis of a primary survey. It was found that the highest number of abandoned buildings and premises are located in regions which were focused on industrial and mining activities in the past. Furthermore, the authors found that brownfield sites have been regenerated and reused successfully in the territory of the Czech Republic. Based on the relevant survey, the most frequently used financial tools employed by municipalities with extended competence (MEC) for the regeneration of brownfield sites in the last 10 years included municipality budgets, European subsidy programmes and national subsidy programmes. According to the survey, nonfinancial tools used for the successful regeneration of brownfields included own activities and support from the CzechInvest agency. The motives of municipalities and towns located in the territory of individual MECs in the relevant country included mainly a new use of buildings (the rescue of historical buildings/premises and unused industrial parts of a village/town) in the territory of the MEC. The results of the article also highlights the regional differences of the studied area in the case of the existence and use of various financial and non-financial instruments in the process of brownfield regeneration in individual MECs in the Czech Republic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue associated with the situation of brownfields around the world is a very current topic today. This article focuses on the situation of the existence of brownfields in the Czech Republic. The aim of this article is to assess the current situation of brownfields from the perspective of municipalities and cities in the Czech Republic. The data in the paper were collected by means of a questionnaire applied to towns and villages in the Czech Republic. The existence of brownfields in regions can have a negative impact on the development of the relevant areas, such as villages, towns or higher-level administrative units. The research took place from 9 July 2018 to 31 January 2019. The rate of return on the primary research was 43.2% of the respondents. The results showed that brownfields mainly occur in former industrial regions. The predominant form of ownership of abandoned buildings and grounds was private ownership. It can be stated that agricultural, industrial activity and former civic amenities dominated in the previous use. Last but not least, the study points to regional differences that are noticeable between municipalities and cities in individual NUTS 3 regions in connection to the issue of brownfields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper focuses on spatial analyses of sugar beet industry brownfields in the Czech Republic. In the first part of the paper history of sugar beet industry on the area of the Czech Republic is briefly presented, then links between location of these sites and its transport potential are discussed. Benefits of brownfields regeneration for regional development are also evaluated. In the empirical part of the paper 49 brownfield sites within the Czech Republic, where the sugar beet industry was abandoned during the transition period after 1989, are evaluated and classified based on field research and aerial picture analyses. Three examples of reuse of former sugar beet factories are finally presented. It was found that development potential of studied sites is highly depended on their geographical location and some inspiration might be derived from presented examples. More targeted supportive policy in the Czech Republic to support regeneration of brownfields is needed. In the concluding part of the paper further development possibilities of sugar beet industry brownfields and their railway connection are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brownfields are undesirable urbanistic heritage and their occurrence is associated with a number of negative effects, which our society tries to minimize repeatedly, both successfully and unsuccessfully. Especially in the context of the multi-perspective concept of sustainable development, the issue of brownfields is accentuated with the intention to reuse abandoned areas that have lost their original use and regenerate them in a way that enriches not only individual stakeholders but generally the whole society. Although each brownfield is unique within its set of partial characteristics, it is possible to determine by means of mathematical- statistical methods the key patterns that are important for brownfields in terms of their overall nature. The identification of these common patterns across a selected set of brownfields is important for establishing of general recommendations for their potential regeneration. In our paper, we proceeded from the analysis of 460 non-regenerated brownfields located in the Czech Republic, and by means of correspondence analysis we determined which categories most influence the potential brownfield regeneration from the perspective of a two-dimensional (stage) approach. Information on brownfields was taken from the publicly available database of the state-funded company the CzechInvest for 2018 and supplemented by authors with other relevant variables. The analysis of the data revealed factors that may have a major impact in the initial phase of the decision on potential brownfield regeneration, and at the same time factors that do not seem to be substantial for regeneration. The applicability of the results of our analyses creates space for better-targeted brownfield regeneration policies, especially in the area of specifications for calls for brownfield regeneration projects, their financial support, implementation of process innovations, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the research was to assess the developmental priorities of municipalities as they reflect the current policy objectives of the Czech Republic and the European Union, with a focus on the Green Deal and accelerating developmental changes in the external environment. To this end, the key priorities of the Just Transition Fund programme, which is designed for structurally affected regions in the Czech Republic, were selected. Specifically, these included themes in the areas of energy, waste management, transport, brownfield revitalisation and education. The method for obtaining information on the attitudes of municipalities was a questionnaire survey in 160 municipalities within the Ústí nad Labem Region, which also helped to assess the differences between small and large municipalities. The research found that municipalities are prioritising development in energy and waste treatment. At the same time, small municipalities, with under 1000 inhabitants, are slower to develop projects than larger municipalities, and larger municipalities were also more aware of the importance of sustainability issues for future municipal development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article deals with the regeneration of a former textile factory in the Czech Republic, focusing on different types of actors and their distinctive rhythmicity. At least three types of actors with a distinct relation to time can be identified in the regeneration process: NGOs, municipal authorities, and private companies. NGOs tend to think with a long-term scope, municipal authorities have a four-year election period, and private companies plan time in months. The authors explore the question: how is the different rhythmicity of individual actors reflected in the process of negotiating brownfield regeneration in Ústí nad Orlicí, a small Czech town located outside metropolitan areas and development axes? We use an interpretive framework derived from Lefebvre's The Production of Space and Rhythmanalysis and analyze in-depth interviews with key actors of regeneration. At a general level, interconnections of the politics of time and the politics of space are explored. One of the main findings is that actors use specific combinations of time and space – in the form of slowing-down and speeding-up tools – in regeneration negotiations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structural change in the agricultural economy may result in the abandonment of agricultural buildings, creating rural brownfield sites. Since the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989, post‐agricultural brownfields have become very common in Central and Eastern Europe. Our aim is to uncover and understand the reuse preferences for 16 reuse options, among 1275 survey respondents (local residents) from 272 rural communities with post‐agricultural brownfields in the Czech Republic. The influence of respondent status, the socioeconomic characteristics of those communities and environmental characteristics of communities were tested using redundancy analysis and variation partitioning. Three types of reuse were identified as most preferred among respondents: agricultural reuse, industrial reuse and reuse for housing, services and leisure time activities. We found strong and significant ties between the pattern of preferences for potential reuse options and demographic, community socioeconomic and environmental context variables. It can therefore be concluded that preferences for rural renewal tend to be constructed comprehensively and encompass social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainability. In order to implement a vision that promotes sustainable rural development, we need to recognise that the preferences of rural residents are fundamentally shaped by the local environment and are therefore highly dependent on the place‐based circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Central Europe is replete with legacy contaminated sites, commonly called “brownfields”. The question is what can be done to remediate them and make them again safe and useful to society. This question is addressed in post-socialistic city of Brno, the Czech Republic. Our research assesses public perceptions of such sites that are currently utilized for the leisure time activities. Special attention is paid to public views of heritage preservation as an option for brownfield regeneration. The principal aim of the paper is to measure public support of heritage preservation through the conversion of brownfields to leisure activities and tourism. Data were gathered by means of the questionnaire survey with visitors of four brownfields currently being used for leisure time activities (n = 130). It was revealed that the awareness of the visitors of the issue of brownfield regeneration is very low, and that importantly affects the perception of heritage preservation of individual sites. Further, the opinions of the respondents are significantly influenced by the local contexts of individual brownfields (predominantly by the situation and the technical state). However, it might be stated that in locations where the historical state of building has already been repaired, historical heritage is perceived more positively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prioritizing brownfields for redevelopment in real estate portfolios can contribute to more sustainable regeneration and land management. Owners of large real estate and brownfield portfolios are challenged to allocate their limited resources to the development of the most critical or promising sites, in terms of time and cost efficiency. Authorities worried about the negative impacts of brownfields – in particular in the case of potential contamination – on the environment and society also need to prioritize their resources to those brownfields that most urgently deserve attention and intervention. Yet, numerous factors have to be considered for prioritizing actions, in particular when adhering to sustainability principles. Several multiple-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) approaches and tools have been suggested in order to support these actors in managing their brownfield portfolios. Based on lessons learned from the literature on success factors, sustainability assessment and MCDA approaches, researchers from a recent EU project have developed the web-based Timbre Brownfield Prioritization Tool (TBPT). It facilitates assessment and prioritization of a portfolio of sites on the basis of the probability of successful and sustainable regeneration or according to individually specified objectives. This paper introduces the challenges of brownfield portfolio management in general and reports about the application of the TBPT in five cases: practical test-uses by two large institutional land owners from Germany, a local and a regional administrative body from the Czech Republic, and an expert from a national environmental authority from Romania. Based on literature requirements for sustainability assessment tools and on the end-users’ feedbacks from the practical tests, we discuss the TBPT's strengths and weaknesses in order to inform and give recommendations for future development of prioritization tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brownfields sometimes represent a development problem but at the same time also hold development potential. With accurate and up-to-date information it is possible to assure the regeneration process is effective; therefore we investigated in detail the development of the process of brownfields management in two countries: Slovenia and the Czech Republic (the Moravian-Silesian Region). The article compares the process of development of databases and the data itself in both selected case studies, and evaluates and identifies the patterns of change in brownfields with a focus on regenerated sites. In the period 2017–2022 we have noticed a growing number of brownfields included in databases in both selected cases, despite the share of regenerated brownfield sites that have been excluded from the database. Both study cases show that ensuring continuity of work in the process of monitoring brownfields and knowledge transfer are critical for sustainable brownfield management and successful regeneration. Based on the comparisons, recommendations are summarised on how to make the database an effective tool that could be relevant to more sustainable brownfield development and land recycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientific research in the area of chateau brownfields is quite new and thus offers room for interesting findings and insights. This text presents the results of a pilot study in search of causality between the causes of the occurrence and spheres of restoration of chateau brownfields in the Moravian-Silesian region in the Czech Republic, where chateau settlements are considered an urban phenomenon of the cultural landscape. Out of a total of 88 chateaux, 40 have received brownfield status over the years, of which 28 are currently regenerated. The main reason why the chateaux were abandoned can be found in the inappropriate economic activities that took place in them, which originated mainly in the directive decision on their functionality at the end of the Second World War. Most of the chateau brownfield sites are still abandoned or currently for sale, and many others have been regenerated for tourism and public sector services. The causality analysed between the causes of their occurrence and their restored function reflects the logical and economic context characteristic of a time of restoration and the general desire of the public sector to reduce the number of brownfield sites in its cadastral area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the efforts of developed countries to protect undeveloped land, development continues to expand beyond urban boundaries. High-quality land needed for food production is often consumed. This study aims to verify possible causes of undeveloped land and high-quality land consumption within regions (NUTS3) using a new approach to building growth monitoring. It investigates residential (RBs) and commercial buildings (retail and industrial buildings, RIBs). The development between 2006 and 2016 in the Czech Republic, a country in Central Europe, is used as a case study. Population growth and gross domestic product per capita (GDP) within regions are considered two potential causes of land consumption; this hypothesis is verified using a linear regression model. Only GDP showed statistically significant results. It correlated negatively with RBs and RBs + RIBs built on undeveloped land and positively with RBs + RIBs and either RBs or RIBs built on high-quality land. Based on the results, we recommend that land protection policies be differentiated according to regional specifics to be more effective. Regions with lower GDPs should obtain more support in protecting undeveloped land against residential development. The protection of high-quality land should be emphasized by supporting residential and commercial development on brownfield sites in regions with higher GDPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using an example of the Czech Republic, this explorative study attempts to answer the question of what factors have a significant influence on a successful regeneration of brownfields in a post-socialistic space. The study is based on a comparative analysis of two data files – the database of existing brownfields provided by the national CzechInvest agency, and the database of successfully regenerated brownfields compiled by the authors themselves. The paper consists of three interrelated parts, the first one dealing with an analysis of the structure of regenerated brownfields, the second one confronting this with the structure of the existing brownfields by means of a comparative analysis, and the third one analyzing the factors of brownfield regeneration. The main types of functional transformation of space were identified and the factors that appeared to be significant determinants of brownfields regeneration were classified as the result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the results of an international comparative survey of stakeholders from four European countries (the Czech Republic, Germany, Poland and Romania). The aim was to identify and classify the 'success factors' of brownfields regeneration and to detect significant convergences and divergences concerning the drivers and barriers of regeneration processes in different geographical and institutional contexts. The existence of ecological burden or site contamination, overall regeneration costs and clarified ownership relations are considered the most important factors of regeneration internationally. Especially in Romania but also in Poland, the factors at national level (legislation, incentives, and foreign direct investments) are perceived to be more influential than in the Czech Republic and Germany, where a stronger emphasis is put on the location factors (whether a brownfield is located in rural, urban or inner city area) and transport links. Physical attributes such as the site's area and terrain are also considered among the most significant factors in Romania. While representatives of public administration emphasized more the importance of legislation, state incentives and general localization, the investors and developers highlighted local factors (landscape protection limits, place marketing, and previous use of brownfields). The emphasis on political and geographical factors increases with the level of experience of stakeholders, while the emphasis on site specific factors decreases with the length of experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the use of mediation in custody and civil disputes in court practice in the Czech Republic. The option for a court to order mediation in a dispute was enabled by the Mediation Act of 2012, with the proclaimed benefit of shortening the length of the dispute. We put these claims to test using data provided by the Ministry of Justice of the Czech Republic based on the so-called statistical sheets of district and regional courts. The dataset covers over 2 million custody and civil disputes resolved between 2013 and 2018. Descriptive analysis reveals that the courts' use of mediation is still sporadic and regionally clustered. Regression analyses show that, contrary to the expectations, the custody (civil) disputes with mandated mediation were on average 3 (2.5) times longer than their counterparts without mediation, after accounting for several control variables. This effect varies over time and with the dispute's subject matter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human efforts to regulate watercourses and the use of water energy in their favour goes back into the past. Although historical water management and utilization structures are the proof of that, only a small number of such structures have been preserved. The article deals with the applied research of the use of modern geodetic laser scanning stations in combination with photogrammetric digital technologies for creating technical documentation and digital visualization of historical structures and national cultural monuments. Specifically, in this case, we will focus on the water utilization buildings -- the water mill and water sawmill in the National Open-Air Museum, Rožnov pod Radhoštěm, Czech Republic. Digital twins created using modern technologies may well serve not only for geo-tourism purposes but also as basis for potential future reconstruction or redevelopment projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The variety of post-socialist agricultural transitions in four different rural regions located in South Bohemia (Czech Republic), with respect to the utilisation of the older premises, is subject to analysis in this article. A complete database was constructed, containing the identification of agricultural premises in 1989 and their use in 2004 and 2017. From 1989 to 2004, a number of agricultural brownfields emerged, and many sites had been utilised for non-agricultural purposes. After 2004, the acreage of agricultural brownfields was reduced and new land-use utilisation for housing and, especially other non-agricultural activities, significantly increased. The transition in the utilisation of pre-1989 agricultural premises is strongly influenced by the social and economic contexts in which particular sites are located. Proximity to an upper-level regional centre is of crucial importance for decisions with respect to how (and if) the site will be reused. The peripheral location of the site also affects the level and the selection of options for the ways in which particular pre-1989 agricultural premises are used. In the case studies reported here, the marginality of particular regions is increased by their location in the border regions of outer peripheries, where the probability of the presence of agricultural brownfields and the probability of long-term abandonment of agricultural premises is higher. For the traditional developed countryside, we found a typical low level of the share of long-term agricultural brownfields. After 2004, the re-use of pre-1989 agricultural brownfields for agriculture was ascertained, which is complemented by their use for housing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enterprise size structure is understood from historical point of view. Today enterprise size structure is connected with better capture of global market. For evaluating sizes of companies the basis is very simple classificatory point of view -- number of employees. In the Czech Republic 1,1 million enterprises realize active entrepreneurial activity. The most common legal form of business is micro-firm (nearly 95%). Number of large enterprises is much lower -- it is only 0.2% and they realize about half of the Czech economy. These enterprises have decisive influence on real economic and business processes. Our analysis brought approximate profile of large enterprise in the Czech Republic (according to the number of employees, legal form of business, branch, owner, localization). By realizing insight into selected large enterprises in the Czech Republic there come out externally important questions that concern their capital ties, managing and decision-making practice in the Czech Republic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article deals with the idea of simplification of administrative procedure on the example of legal regulation that can be found in Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Hungary. This legal regulation comes from the same or similar evolution and legal conditions. General legal regulation of administrative procedure is represented by so called Code of Administrative Procedure. Existence of such code in all mentioned countries might be regarded as a first step towards simplification. Using research methods—dogmatic, normative, and, namely, comparative—the article examines concrete examples of simplification in mentioned countries that have similar approaches in solving this demand. This article mentions possible views (or addressees) on the need of simplifications as well as possible limits of this issue. In this sense, the protection of the public interest and protection of rights of individuals presents certain limitations to simplification. Legal regulation of administrative procedure is complicated. Although each legal regulation is in detail specific, we can find some common solutions in particular legal regulation of simplifications. Such results of this article might be useful (not only) for further comparison in European countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]