Project proposal by
- Institution : Municipality of Havířov
- City : Havířov
- Country : Czech Republic
- Type of region : Less developed
- Population : 68 000
Looking for Project Partners
Across Europe, many post-industrial cities are facing long-term population decline, economic transition, and the need to redefine their identity after the end of traditional industries. Some cities manage these changes more successfully, while others are still looking for effective ways to respond.
Havířov is one of these cities. We would like to join an URBACT Action Planning Network to better understand how different cities are addressing similar challenges and to co-develop practical solutions that can be implemented locally with partners.
About us
Havířov is a city in the Czech Republic with about 68,000 people. It was built as a “new town” to provide housing for workers from nearby heavy industry, especially coal mining and steelworks. Most people did not work in Havířov itself, but travelled to nearby cities for their jobs. There were only a few job opportunities in the city.
Today, many of these industries have declined or closed. Because of this, Havířov has been losing population for a long time, including almost 10 % in the last 10 years. This has changed the city’s economy and identity.
At the same time, we want to change this situation. We want to offer more job opportunities for people and use the potential the city has. Through this project, we would like to find the best way to develop Havířov and see how these opportunities can be used in the most effective way.
What we want to work on
Through URBACT, we want to explore solutions that can help
-make the city more attractive for young people and families
-improve quality of life and public spaces
-support local economic development and new investment
-attract skilled professionals and investors
-strengthen the city’s long-term identity
-create new job opportunities
Opportunity: Burianovka Industrial Zone
Havířov has a new opportunity in the form of a development site in the Burianovka industrial zone, which is being created on a former brownfield area.
A modern facility for sorting and processing municipal waste is planned in this location. The project represents a significant investment in the city’s environmental infrastructure and brings a long-unused site back into use with a new sustainable function. In the Czech context, this is a unique project introducing an innovative approach to municipal waste management and combining technological solutions with circular economy principles.
At the same time, it aims to become not only technical infrastructure, but also a space for innovation, education, and cooperation with research institutions and the public.
Another priority: quality of life and family-friendly environment
Alongside economic and environmental transformation, improving everyday quality of life remains a key priority for Havířov.
The city aims to become more attractive for families with children, who often leave for nearby cities offering better services, housing, and public spaces.
We therefore also focus on
-quality of public spaces
-access to services for families
-attractive housing
-safe and pleasant urban environment
-leisure and recreational opportunities
This area is just as important as economic transformation, as it directly influences whether people stay in or return to the city.
Conclusion
Havířov sees its future transformation in two interconnected directions.
On one hand, it focuses on new development opportunities in the Burianovka area, which combine brownfield regeneration with environmental and technological innovation.
On the other hand, improving everyday quality of life remains a key priority, especially in relation to public spaces and a family-friendly urban environment.
We believe that the URBACT Action Planning Network can help us develop both of these directions in cooperation with European cities facing similar challenges.
We would be very happy if cities contact us for cooperation, either in the field of environmental transformation and innovation or in the area of quality of life and public space.
We would especially welcome a partnership with an experienced Lead Partner city that could help coordinate the network and share its know-how.