Unlike in the Czech Republic, developers in Poland can rely on the deadlines given by law which makes it a lot easier to do business. Marcela Fialková, Strategy Director of Czech-based developer UDI Group talked to Property Forum about the challenges and opportunities different markets in CEE offer.

The Hungarian Parliament voted in favour of the law on the public construction and investment regime with 136 votes in favour, 49 against and 9 abstentions. The law, among other things, makes the use of BIM mandatory for projects at or above the EU public procurement threshold, requires greater control over design and construction than before, and puts the whole life cycle of public works on a new footing.

UBM Development Czechia has successfully completed the rough construction of the Astrid Garden residential project in Prague 7 - Holešovice, where 138 apartments and two commercial units are being built. Construction of Astrid Garden has been underway since November 2021 and is scheduled for completion in the second half of 2024. The sale of the project, designed by renowned architectural studio Bogle Architects, is being handled exclusively by the real estate agency Lexxus Norton. 

In ten years since entering the Karlovy Vary Region, Accolade Group has invested in a total of nearly 300,000 sqm of production, e-commerce and logistics space. The value of completed and handed-over projects exceeds €316 million and properties worth approximately €380 million are currently under construction. The Group's activities are leading to wage growth and a wider range of jobs. In addition to the projects in Cheb, the group recently completed the first building in a new industrial estate in Ostrov.

Construction of one of the largest logistics projects in Croatia is entering its next phase. Development company RC Europe Group from the Czech Republic has started construction work on the RC Zone Samobor project in the Bobovica economic zone. The total land area of 170,000 sqm will feature an 86,000 sqm warehouse facility intended for leasing. In line with the tenants’ requirements, the space in the future logistics park can be used for storage, production, or office operations.

According to Dr Aleš Pustovrh at the EECFA, which conducts research on the construction markets of 8 Eastern European countries, residential construction boom in Slovenia continues and is set to peak this year. Nevertheless, with increasing interest rates on mortgage loans, residential construction will be facing significantly lower demand in the second half of 2023.

The full-scale invasion of Ukraine has led to huge destruction, the volume of construction waste has reached a critical level and continues to increase. Iryna Nastych summarised the situation in an article prepared by the Ukrainian Real Estate Club for Property Forum.

The planned Highest Construction Office (Nejvyšší stavební úřad) and the system of regional construction offices subordinate to it will not be established in the Czech Republic. The construction authorities will remain within the municipalities, the Czech News Agency (ČTK) reports.

Penta Real Estate is finishing the construction of the new Motel One hotel in the centre of Prague near Masaryk railway station. According to the development company, the total investment in the hotel, which will be part of the Cloud One Line chain, came to CZK 1.2 billion (€51.2 million) over six years of preparation and construction. The hotel is scheduled to open in the spring of 2024.

High inflation and rising interest rates seem to have bitten in overall consumption. And although Serbia is likely to avoid recession in the short run, its real GDP growth is estimated to be a moderate 2%-4% this year and next with a downside risk being the looming recession in the EU. The rental housing market has been supported by the Russian and Ukrainian citizens settling down in Serbia, keeping rent rates high. Housing construction is still strong and although the volumes in building construction are already consolidating, big infrastructure projects could sustain civil engineering on all-high levels in the mid-term, according to Dejan Krajinović (Beobuild Core d.o.o.) at EECFA which conducts research on the construction markets of 8 Eastern-European countries, including Serbia.