– It hurts that it was sold. I think it is very wrong that this is now going to a private actor, so that perhaps the general public has nothing to do with it. Tor Arthur Wennberg has spent his whole life at the old Bjørnøy lighthouse. He has put in many volunteer hours to maintain a certain standard at the now closed lighthouse. But now, according to all sun marks, it is over. The Norwegian Environment Agency owns the 132-year-old lighthouse, and Bjørnøya, on which the lighthouse is located. On Thursday, everything was sold for NOK 6.5 million. Tor Wennberg was active with the operation of the disused lighthouse on Bjørnøya. Here he is pictured while making improvements to the lighthouse in 2014. Photo: Øystein Nygård / news – Hadn’t seen it for me The sale price is 5 million more than the 1.5 million it was advertised for, news is informed by the Private Broker, who had been hired to sell the island. Broker Georg Rånes Paulsen says that there were over 300 interested parties on the SMS list. They had expected a lot of excitement around the island, but not that the bidding round would be so wild. – It is obvious that this property would attract a lot of interest, but that it would go so high, I had not imagined that. Georg Rånes Paulsen in Privatmegleren. Photo: Privatmegleren Bodø A total of 17 people took part in the bidding round. Finally, the island was sold at 4 p.m., Thursday. – I can’t say anything about who bought it, or what kind of plans they have. Whether they will leave it as it is, or make changes, is uncertain. The broker has brought with him the desperate campaigners to leave the island for everyone. – I have registered that there have been newspaper advertisements, and we have received inquiries from several people. But we have only dealt with the task we have, which is to sell the property. But I can understand that people have many opinions about this type of property. Built for one lighthouse keeper and family The first station outside Bodø was established as a joint lighthouse in 1890, and was closed down and demanned in 1972, according to SNL. The lighthouse was the fourth lighthouse to be built outside Bodø, and it was built to mark the inner path towards the Vestfjorden. The lighthouse keeper’s home was built for one lighthouse keeper and his family. In 2006, the Norwegian Environment Agency took over the property, and then Environment Minister Helen Bjørnøy (SV) opened the lighthouse to outdoor enthusiasts, by turning it into an outdoor lighthouse. Bodø municipality was given responsibility for operation and supervision. The general public used the area to a small extent Terje Qvam is section leader in the Norwegian Environment Agency, and replies in an e-mail to news that they are satisfied that the sale process has been carried out in a good way by Statsbygg. Beyond that, they do not want to comment on the purchase price. Qvam states that once the costs of the sale have been deducted, the money will go into the treasury in its entirety. – Why are you selling this lighthouse, and the island, to private players? – The reason for the sale is an inquiry from Bodø municipality in 2020 where they requested that Bjørnøy lighthouse cease to be a state-protected outdoor recreation area and that the municipality’s responsibility for operation and supervision also cease. Bodø municipality stated that the general public used the area to a small extent, and that the location and maintenance of buildings entailed high operating costs for the municipality, says Qvam. – Several people are skeptical and critical of such cultural monuments being sold for private ownership. Do you understand that people are concerned that these cultural monuments may be closed to the public? – The Norwegian Environment Agency has neither earmarked funds nor operating equipment to operate such buildings. It is now Bodø municipality as the planning authority that sets the framework for the activity and use of the island, informs Qvam and adds: – The National Antiquities Authority has informed us that the property is not part of the Coastal Administration’s protection plan for lighthouses and is not covered by their National Protection Plan for maritime infrastructure. Norwegian lighthouse association reacts Henriette Marie Skjæveland fears what will happen to the lighthouse on Bjørnøya when new owners take over. Henriette Marie Skjæveland, chairman of the Norwegian Lighthouse Association, thinks it is sad that Bjørnøy lighthouse has been sold. Photo: Skbsaksekselskapet Hesvik She is chairman of the board of the Norwegian Lighthouse Association. – Cultural monuments can be lost when historic buildings such as Bjørnøy lighthouse are sold from the public to private parties. In connection with the sale, the Norwegian Coastal Administration has revoked previous clauses on the property – so that new owners are not obliged to keep the building mass of the lighthouse intact. – When the public authorities take the step of selling a railway station like Bjørnøy, then at the same time you take away a lot of the history that lies in the buildings there. Skjæveland believes it destroys the cultural heritage that Bjørnøy lighthouse represents and thinks it is both sad and sad.
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Bjørnøy lighthouse in Bodø sold for 5 million above estimate – news Nordland
