The matter in summary Several political parties in Fredrikstad believe that vulnerable nature must be saved when new commercial areas are to be built. In April, it was decided to look at the possibilities of developing another area for industry. It is located close to Viken Park, which is among the largest planned natural interventions in Norway. The area that is now being investigated consists of, among other things, cultivated land, red-listed species and a closed factory. In 2018, the county council said that cultivated land should not be built down in this area. The municipal administration says they are working in line with the local politicians’ decisions. – I definitely think we have to pull the emergency brake now. It should have been pulled in a long time ago, says Silje Louise Waters. She is group leader for SV in Fredrikstad. news meets Waters and local politicians from Bymiljølista, MDG, Rødt and Venstre at a salamander pond near Glomma. In a few years, this pond may be surrounded by large storage buildings. In June, news told about the commercial area Viken Park, which is planned in the middle of a forest on the outskirts of the city. The project will probably be one of Norway’s biggest natural interventions, if it is adopted by the politicians in the autumn. One of the arguments for the gigantic intervention is that natural areas elsewhere must be preserved. By collecting large parts of the region’s future nutrient needs in one place, random and piecemeal degradation of nature and topsoil can be avoided. Both the county council, municipal politicians and the developer have pointed this out on various occasions. But: Just a stone’s throw away from Viken Park, the local politicians have recently given the green light to look at the possibilities for another business area. The planned area for Viken Park is 1.8 million square metres. Just under 40 per cent of the area is to be permanently developed. Less than 300 meters away, there is a desire to establish another business area. The Moum Business Area has an estimated size of 500,000 square metres, and is located in the 100-metre belt along Glomma. In April, the local politicians in Fredrikstad decided that an area regulation should be made for the red field in the map above. – Criticized in every way A significant part of the 500,000 square meter area consists of nature and cultivated land. When Østfold County Council blessed the plans for the development of Viken Park in 2018, it was a condition that the municipality should not facilitate the development of cultivated land at Moum. The State Administrator also emphasized that cultivated land at Moum should be saved when they chose to accept Viken Park. – It is objectionable in every way. The municipality has simply not done its job, says MDG group leader Gunhild Vigdisdatter. Caroline Bergli Tolfsen Left: Natural values are not emphasized – We see, and have seen in previous cases, that natural values have not been emphasized. They have hardly been investigated. Then it is also missed in the major planning processes, says group leader Trond Svandal. Caroline Bergli Tolfsen Rødt: Piecemeal degradation – There is a piecemeal and partial degradation of nature all the time. You take out a piece here, and a piece there. After 30 years, there is nothing left along the river, says Jostein Häckert. Caroline Bergli Tolfsen Bymiljølista: Wants to stop deconstruction – Not everything has fantastic natural diversity, but just the fact that it’s green is important in itself. There is so little forest along Glomma that we really have to put our foot down and stop the construction, says group leader Jonas Qvale. The municipal administration has done its job, believes Per-Erik Torp. He is head of the department for environment and urban development in Fredrikstad. Torp points out that it is the politicians who have decided that the area at Moum should be set aside for industry. It has been part of the municipality’s spatial plan since 2020, and remained in the plan when it was adopted again last summer. – The administration works within the framework set by the elected representatives at all times, writes Torp in a written reply to news. One of the aims of the area regulation is to map and safeguard important natural areas, according to head of agency Per-Erik Torp. The picture was taken on another occasion. Photo: Even Bjøringsøy Johnsen / news Factory and red-listed species Parts of the nature where the business park is intended have already been developed. A closed Leca factory occupies a significant part of the area. Parts of the area where Moum Næringspark is intended seen from the air. To the right of the image section, there is also cultivated land that has been set aside for agriculture in the municipality’s spatial plan. Photo: Christian Nygaard-Monsen / news At the same time, the area now being investigated consists of ponds, cultivated land and forest areas with endangered species. Quick clay has also been uncovered in the area. In addition, parts of the area are in the flood zone. Affected interests Important natural values have been registered in the area. At two ponds, salamanders and red-listed bird species have been recorded, among other things. Danger areas have been identified in the immediate area, and the ground conditions may be demanding. In addition, quick clay has been discovered in the area. Parts of the planning area are in the flood zone. It must be investigated whether the land is contaminated, because there is insufficient information on what has been filled in after previous mass withdrawals. There is also an old rubbish dump in the area. The Glommastien walking and cycling path is proposed to be moved eastwards, towards national highway 22. Among other things, a biologist has expressed concern that a path along the ponds, located in the middle of the planned industrial area, could disturb wildlife. Neighbors may be exposed to noise and other pollution. The list above is not exhaustive. Source: Planning initiative, Area regulation Moum Business area (PDF) The area at Moum consists of, among other things, a closed factory, forest, cultivated land, and red-listed species. The outline is taken from the planning initiative for area regulation of the Moum business area. The area regulation that has now been adopted has two main purposes, according to the municipality: To find out how much of the area will actually be used, what type of businesses can gain access, and how the traffic will be resolved. To map and look after important natural areas, terrain, natural values and the interests of the general public. Scroll to see more photos from the area that is now being mapped: The sable moth has been a highly threatened butterfly species for a number of years. news has observed carmine spider larvae in the area which is now being investigated for development. Photo: Caroline Bergli Tolfsen / news This field lies within the area where area regulation has now been initiated. Photo: Caroline Bergli Tolfsen / news Within the area the municipality has set aside for industry, there are also two ponds. Photo: Caroline Bergli Tolfsen / news Wanted to secure natural values MDG, SV and the Liberal Party asked that as much nature as possible should be saved when the matter came up in the chairmanship in April. They did not get a pass for that. The proposals that were voted down The dams and the stream hazard between the dams are preserved. A wide belt of natural vegetation around the ponds and on each side of the streambed is maintained, in line with professional advice, to safeguard and promote good water quality and natural diversity on the site. It will be investigated how it can be facilitated for outdoor life and nature experiences in connection with the dams, and the necessary measures must be ensured with order stipulations. The deciduous forest in the planning area is surveyed for major natural values and these are then removed from the planning area. Arable land is taken out of the planning area and returned to LNF. Source: Minutes from the chairman’s meeting on 25 April 2024 (PDF). – Now we also tried to be early in the planning initiative precisely to be able to lay clear and strong guidelines in the process. It is a bit sad that not more people see the importance of the values that nature has and gives us, says Silje Waters in SV. Silje Louise Waters (SV) calls for more government management. She believes that the municipalities cannot manage their natural areas alone. Photo: Caroline Bergli Tolfsen / news The Labor Party, the Progress Party, the Conservative Party and the Pensioners’ Party, which has a majority, did not want to set such guidelines. – We thought it should not be included so early in the process, because that was not what the case was about, says Conservative group leader Anne Lisbeth Undahl. She says the crux of the matter was to ensure that the municipality has a hand on the wheel during the planning process, and that all expenses were to be paid by the proposer, Borg Havn. Browse to see what the city’s largest parties think about Moum Business area: Right / Press image Right: Favorable location – We are positive about this development. We imagine that refrigerated transport will become increasingly important as part of the green shift. It is a favorable location that is close to the harbour, and somewhat outside densely built-up areas, says group leader Anne Lisbeth Undahl. Lars Håkon Pedersen / news Ap: Depending on commercial areas – It is a disused industrial area, which is very well located for getting more goods into the keel. It will also be very important for Viken Park. We are completely dependent on commercial areas to create and facilitate jobs, says group leader Siri Martinsen. Petter Larsson Frp: Will become important for business – I think this area will become an important business area for our city and for Glomma. It has access to the harbour, proximity to the E6, and – not least – it is close to the area we are going to develop in Viken Park, says group leader Bjørnar Laabak. Must take natural values into account Neighbours, the environment and agriculture will be taken into account, Undahl assures. – We believe that much of what SV, Bymiljølista, MDG and Venstre are concerned with is already in the premises. So we really assume that we get a case back where this has been taken into account. – But would it have hurt to vote for those proposals, if it is as you suggest – that this should be taken into account anyway? – No, you could say damaged… But we are presented with a proposal without adequate processing. Then we have to ensure that we don’t promise too much, says the group leader. The municipality owns parts of the area. It is Borg Havn that is investigating the possibilities of establishing an industrial area at Moum. They also want to expand the existing quay along the river. Fredrikstad municipality owns 48 percent of Borg Havn. The municipality also has another vested interest in the area. Isegran Eiendom AS – the municipality’s own property company, has sold the factory site in the area for NOK 13 million, according to Fredriksstad Blad. At the same time, the municipality secured 150,000 square meters of the area which can now be set aside for business, the newspaper wrote in February last year. – Is it economically important for the municipality that this area be used for business? – Ownership of land in the area in question has no significance for the administration’s work with the area planning plan, explains unit manager Per-Erik Torp. Published 28/07/2024, at 11.41
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– Criticism in every way – news Østfold – Local news, TV and radio
