Today, both Defense Minister Bjørn Arild Gram (Sp) and Fisheries Minister Bjørnar Skjæran (Ap) were present on Andøya. There they presented news from the revised national budget which will be presented tomorrow. In their luggage, they had NOK 167 million and a plan for how large areas the defense should release for new business development in the hard-tested municipality. According to the municipality itself, Andøy has lost over 500 inhabitants since the airport was decided to be closed in 2016 – to large local protests. Since then, the municipality has searched and searched to find out what the plan is for the closed airport. Among other things, they want to become Norway’s space capital through Andøya Space. Today, therefore, the government stepped in: – We have listened to the priorities that the local community has asked us to do first. Therefore, the main message today is that we will free up significant areas for business development in the municipality, says Defense Minister Bjørn Arild Gram during a press conference on Andøya. Today, both Defense Minister Bjørn Arild Gram and Fisheries Minister Bjørnar Skjæran were present on Andøya. Photo: Lars-Bjørn Martinsen / news – Facilitating NATO investments in the hundreds of millions According to Gram, the government wants to invest several hundred million kroner this year and next year to facilitate the development of the space industry and other industries. He says it is also important to facilitate other countries’ military activities on Andøya. – In addition, such a clear signal of a military presence on Andøya means that we can make arrangements to strengthen Andøya as a reinforcement base in a NATO framework, he continues. He further says that they facilitate NATO investments on Andøya in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Andøy mayor Knut Stormo (Sp). Photo: Lars-Bjørn Martinsen / news – In sum, we are making important clarifications, major investments, some permanent staffing and arranging further NATO investment. – What do you put into facilitating NATO’s activities? – It is already in the NATO plan that Andøya has an important function. It is repeated in NATO’s new plans, which were presented before Easter. But a basis for NATO investing in the infrastructure here is that Norway itself has ambitions for the airport for allied reception and reinforcement. That is what we want to facilitate now by having a presence here, developing the area and pressing the button so that NATO investments can come in the years to come. Mayor Knut Andreas Nordmo (Sp) is happy about the news from the government. – This is good news to receive. We appreciate the cooperation we have had and also look forward to the cooperation we will continue to have in the future. Then it is also important to emphasize that Andøya as the local planning authority is in the front seat. He is happy that the government is taking the security policy situation to heart and is doing something about it. Shut down the most important workplace There were huge protests when the Storting decided to shut down the air station on Andøya in 2016. It caused a stir. The air station, with the defence’s surveillance aircraft, was an important workplace in the small community in the far north of Nordland. According to the municipality itself, the population has decreased by over 500 inhabitants since 2016. A few years later, the Center Party received over 56 per cent of the vote in Andøy, and there were great expectations about what kind of plaster for the wound the new government would deliver. Among other things, the Center Party had promised not to sit in a government that shuts down Andøy airport. As you know, it didn’t work out that way, and the protests followed. But both the Solberg government, and later the Støre government, have granted several tens of millions in support for the restructuring in the municipality. In the spring of 2022, Trygve Slagsvold Vedum confirmed that Andøya will become a permanent military reception base for allied forces. Andøya wants areas The big question has been: How large areas will the Norwegian Defense Forces release for other industrial development. For several years, Andøya has been waiting to find out whether the Norwegian Armed Forces will stay or leave the municipality. The armed forces are cordoning off an area of 12,000 acres. The municipality will have access to parts of this. The municipality itself has big plans, and believes that the loss of jobs should be replaced by the municipality and Andøy Teknologipark AS being allowed to develop disused areas in the direction of technology, drone and aerospace industries. The municipality itself believes that access to new areas will be able to offer similar opportunities as Bodø has had. There, the government will spend NOK 3.1 billion to move the airport about one kilometer. “Releasing areas that were previously set aside for defense purposes has the potential to become a major development and transformation project in northern Norway”, writes the municipality in its proposal for an area plan for Andøya airport. The government wants to release 500 targets Today, the government came up with the answer: “The government proposes to spend around NOK 167 million on Andøya to strengthen the capability for allied reception and to support civilian actors with a relationship with the Norwegian Armed Forces, such as Andøya Space”. This involves, among other things, freeing up areas and getting new fencing in place, which is a prerequisite for developing new civil industries in the area, writes the government in a press release. According to the government, there are approximately 500 targets, mainly in the northern area of the airport. The government emphasizes that maintaining all the infrastructure at Andøya airport is costly. “Since this is infrastructure primarily for allied reinforcement, we are looking at the possibilities for NATO financing of further maintenance and development of infrastructure on Andøya”, they write. – There will be a need for more money In the first instance, Gram says that they will free up around 500 acres in the north of the area to facilitate businesses linked to Andøya Space. – In addition, we will ensure development opportunities for Avinor and the civil airport operation. Gram says the plans will require significant investment and that the government will promote this as part of tomorrow’s revised national budget. – Around NOK 150 million will be given this year, and more money will be needed next year, according to Gram. Gram says that they want to strengthen and continue the maintenance of critical infrastructure at relevant locations in the Air Force, such as Andøya. He says there is a need to strengthen the capacity for allied reception and reinforcement in a more serious security situation. Gram says that Andøya has relevant infrastructure and can strengthen even for allied reception beyond the current long-term plan for the defense sector. – The government is keen to look for new and future-oriented solutions that make use of the advantages Andøya has, which will respond to future military needs, says the defense minister. Fisheries Minister Bjørnar Skjæran says that they will now work with the municipality to create an area plan for further development so that they ensure both military and civilian needs. – I would like to emphasize that there are exciting opportunities in civil-military cooperation, including in the space industry.
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Andøya has lost 500 inhabitants in seven years – now more money is coming from the government – news Nordland
