MinCulture says it never approved construction of high-rise near Lavra

The Ministry of Culture denies approving high-rise construction near the Lavra. Collage: UOJ

The Ministry of Culture of Ukraine did not approve the project for the construction of an 80-meter residential complex near the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, reports Kyiv.News.

The ministry confirmed that the developer had not obtained permits for carrying out works or for the demolition of a historic building in the UNESCO protected zone. The officials' response noted that the plot on Kniaziv Ostrozkyh Street is located in the buffer zone of a World Heritage site.

Urban planning regulations limit the height of buildings in this area to 27 meters; however, the developer's project exceeds this limit by nearly three times. The UNESCO Committee also did not receive any notifications about the planned construction, which constitutes a gross violation of Ukraine's international obligations.

Earlier, construction workers began demolishing a nearly century-old communications school building, ignoring an official prohibition issued by the Department for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of the Kyiv City State Administration. More than six thousand Kyiv residents signed a petition demanding that the construction be halted, and activists staged a protest outside the walls of the Prosecutor's Office.

As the UOJ reported, despite the acknowledgment that the residents were right, the city authorities refused to pursue legal action to annul the permitting documents. Experts warn that the appearance of a high-rise in the historic zone may cost Ukraine its membership in the international UNESCO committee.

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