Owner of Napajedla Stud Farm Challenges Czech Heritage Protection Decision in Court

The owner of Hřebčín Napajedla, represented by the firm Sygnum, filed a blanket lawsuit on 19 June seeking to overturn a 12 June decision by Culture Minister Petra Klempířová. The minister had revoked a prior ruling that protected only the central buildings of the historic stud farm, ordering a new assessment that would also include the surrounding pastures, which she described as an integral part of the heritage site.

The plaintiff argues the minister's decision is unlawful and asks the court to cancel it and return the matter to the Ministry of Culture for further proceedings. Legal counsel František Korbel of Havel & Partners called the review process illegal. The stud farm, once renowned for breeding English thoroughbreds, ceased operations in 2023 for economic reasons and seeks to modify the zoning plan to build residential units on the pastures. The municipal council has so far rejected the proposed zoning change. The case highlights a dispute between heritage preservation and private development interests in the Czech Republic.