Recently, news was able to report that both residents and cottagers have to literally wait years and days to have their building applications processed. In the last two years, fifteen employees have resigned from their jobs in the municipality’s construction department. It has already had consequences for the construction industry, which fears what lies ahead. – Struggling – We struggle so much with the municipality, case processing time and the whole mess. The county governor must say something about everything. You have to allow a lot of time to get something done here, says Klas Lønne with frustration. He runs the company PL-Bygg, and is waiting, among other things, for an answer as to whether he will be allowed to demolish an older detached house in favor of four new ones. My colleague Audun Pettersen recognizes the description well. Audun Pettersen, co-owner of the construction company PL-Bygg in Kragerø. Photo: Kurt Inge Dale / news – Everything is getting more expensive. It is very unpredictable. As we have it today, it is completely impossible to deal with, he believes. Janna Pihl, general manager of Kragerø Business Association, receives many inquiries about the same challenges. Janna Pihl, general manager of Kragerø Business Association. Photo: Kurt Inge Dale / news – There are several of our member companies who are concerned about the processing time, and that in the long term they may risk a project drought because cases are not processed, she says. – From bad to much worse The leader of the main committee for planning, building and the environment in Kragerø, Henriette Fluer Vikre, is critical of the building applications being put on hold. – Politically, we have done what we can do, she believes. Henriette Fluer Vikre (Frp). Photo: Per Stian Johnsen / Per Stian Johnsen – We have notified the municipal director repeatedly. We have both increased the allocations and the framework for the unit, but this has not been implemented and has not had any kind of effect. It has gone from bad to much worse, says Vikre to news. Municipal director Dag Willien Eriksen confirms that they have major challenges. – We have worked over time to try to have a fully staffed construction case department, but ended up at the opposite end, with almost no construction case handlers. This has meant that many cases have accumulated which we have unfortunately not been able to follow up and respond to in time. The municipality is now doing everything it can to clean up the chaos, and is trying to prioritize hard. Mayor Grunde Wegar Knudsen (Sp) says so. Grunde Wegar Knudsen (Sp). Photo: Roald Marker / news First housing, then businesses and finally holiday homes. He still believes that there will be a drought for the industry, but not exclusively because of slow case processing. – You can probably say that you would have at least had some projects if you had started earlier, but I also think that the price increase that is on the way is helping to influence this. Dropping several projects in Kragerø For Klas Lønne, it has already gone too far. Klas Lønne, developer in Kragerø. Photo: Kurt Inge Dale / news – We can hardly bear to have projects in Kragerø. We get a lot more room for maneuver further south than we have here. The situation is very difficult, and a big challenge for many, says the developer.
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Fears that application chaos creates drought for the construction industry – news Vestfold and Telemark – Local news, TV and radio
