In 2025, the plan is for a new airport to be ready in Rana municipality in Helgeland. The construction machines are ready to start the foundation work. They have been doing that for a couple of weeks. But they have not been able to start the work. The new regional airport on Helgeland has been named Mo i Rana Airport, Fagerlia. If all goes according to plan, it will be completed in 2025. Photo: Polar circle airport development/Nordic – Office of Architecture The reason? In the last two weeks, Rana municipality, Ildgruben Reinbeitedistrikt and Avinor have worked hard to reach an agreement. Because after Avinor signed the agreement with the municipality that opened the way for them to start work, it turned out that something was missing. – Must be free The Reinbeite district had not given the thumbs up for construction to start. And then Avinor could not start the foundation work. – It is a prerequisite for us to be able to start the construction works. The construction site must be free of encumbrances. That’s what Anders Kirsebom says. He is executive vice president for regional airports in Avinor. Tom Kristian Lifjell in the Ildgruben reindeer grazing district is clear that they have not wanted to stick sticks in the wheels for the construction of a new airport. The important thing for them is to ensure that future generations can also engage in reindeer husbandry in the area. – It is of great importance to us that such large areas are taken, says Tom Kristian Lifjell. Photo: Private – We want our needs to be taken care of. That is what we have focused on. We are a district that has been hit hard by various interventions. – Why did work on this start so late? – It cannot be that the municipality does not know that we exist. We approached them last year when they started the deforestation, he says. Could have been clarified Lifjell is clear that everything could have been clarified well in advance of the construction start, if the talks between them had started earlier. news has been in contact with Rana municipality and mayor Geir Waage. He refers to Avinor for comments. – It is important for us in Avinor to say that we have great respect for the reindeer herding district’s rights and we appreciate that they are solution-oriented. We strongly believe that we will find a package that everyone can live with, says Kirsebom. Anders Kirsebom is executive vice president for regional airports in Avinor. Photo: Hallvard Sandberg / news According to the parties, they are approaching a solution. From what news understands, there has been talk of finding a suitable replacement area where reindeer herding can continue its activity. – An agreement has not been signed, but we are working together to resolve the remaining conditions so that construction work can start, says Kirsebom. Tom Kristian Lifjell in the Ildgruben reindeer grazing district – It has been an intense process. We understand that this is urgent, and we have been available to meet and discuss at short notice. But we think we have come a long way with the process that has been done now, he says.
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Avinor was ready to build a new airport in Rana – the municipality had not spoken to the reindeer herding district – news Nordland
