The Sixth Court of Appeal of Kyiv has cancelled the historical and architectural reference plan of Lviv, paving the way for chaotic development of the city.
The hearing was held in closed written proceedings, without the Ministry of Culture and the Lviv City Council being able to publicly defend their position, as reported by Andriy Sadovyi, the mayor of Lviv.
He also warned that the city council is already preparing a cassation appeal and is not going to give up in the fight to preserve the city’s historical heritage.
“This is another proof that Ukraine needs a quality judicial reform. All decisions affecting communities should be made and discussed in a public process. I ask all journalists, bloggers, and civic activists to pay attention to this situation. Unfortunately, today, publicity is our only defence and hope for justice,” said the mayor of Lviv.
The city authorities assure that they are ready to take decisive action, as Lviv’s heritage is part of the cultural heritage of the whole of Ukraine and the world.
As a reminder, the Historical and Architectural Master Plan of Lviv, which regulates construction in the city’s historic districts, is being challenged in two courts – in Kyiv and Lviv. Thus, two plaintiffs are seeking to build 25-storey buildings in the UNESCO historic area/buffer zone – at 13b Lypynskoho Street and 15a Verbova Street. The height of this development contradicts not only the provisions of the Historical and Architectural Reference Plan, but also the provisions of the zoning plan.
In the capital, the document was challenged in terms of its approval by the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications, and in Lviv, in terms of its approval by the Department of Architecture and Urban Development of the Lviv Regional Military Administration.
It should be noted that by law, every historic city, especially if it is part of the UNESCO heritage, is required to have a Historical and Architectural Reference Plan, an important strategic document for the preservation of immovable cultural and historical heritage. In Lviv, the development of this document began in 2017 and lasted several years. And in October 2023, the document was approved by the Department of Architecture and Urban Development of the Lviv Regional Military Administration, and in January this year – by the relevant ministry.