High-rise buildings on stilts right at the water’s edge may soon be a thing of the past. New building projects provide more space for green areas in the beach zone, according to the researcher. Thousands of new apartments have appeared on Kaldnes during the past 20 years. The area is located in both Tønsberg and Færder municipalities. There are buildings upon buildings, right on the water’s edge with a stunning view of the jetty and the canal. Many have criticized the densification and called it destruction of the sea side. – Don’t need more homes Mona Rasmussen lives among the tallest buildings, but has a park outside the door, and often walks her dog there. – I have space, but if I lived in the middle of it, it would have been a lot, she says, pointing towards the concrete landscape. There is no need for more housing at Kaldnes, says tour friend Ingrid Thormodsen. – I think there are enough people here. Ingrid Thormodsen and Mona Rasmussen on the pier in Tønsberg. In the background is Kaldnes. Photo: Veronica Westhrin / news Opening up the coast Now the rest of the old industrial site will be developed. An area as large as Aker brygge and Tjuvholmen combined will be used for housing and offices. This time, lessons have been learned from past decisions. Developer Kaldnes AS promises that 1,000 meters of coastline will benefit the residents. – We will open up the entire area to the public and create one of Norway’s greenest and most sustainable areas, says general manager Eirik Sunde. TO BE BUILT OUT: Kaldnes west will, among other things, become green space, housing and commercial buildings. Photo: Kaldnes AS Municipal planner Tron Myrén in Færder municipality does not believe Kaldnes wharf would have been built in the same way today. – Now there is a new approach with more focus on green space and public access to the seafront. He says the battles to be fought are about where the border should lie between the beach and buildings. Myrén singles out Drammen and Horten as cities where they have succeeded in opening up to the inhabitants of the coast in the centre. DRAMMEN: Aass Bryggeri with Drammen hospital in the back of the picture. In front there are green areas. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB Win-win We will see more of this type of construction in the future, believes researcher in social planning, Marianne Singsaas in Telemarksforskning. – There has been a lot of focus on building bans in the 100-metre zone. I think most new building projects include zones that are accessible to everyone, she says. Senior researcher Marianne Singsaas leads the Research Council project COASTREC, which examines public access in the beach zone. Photo: Telemarksforskning Norway is obliged to protect 30 percent of the area by 2030. To achieve this goal, the researcher believes that we must protect more coasts in urban areas. – In Norway, we have been very good at protecting mountains, but not the coast, says Singsaas. Tønsberg and Færder are part of the most densely populated regions in the country. – There is pressure on the areas, they are unfairly distributed. Some have good access to recreational areas. Others don’t have it, she says. – If I were a local politician here, I would follow this project very closely and make sure that the developers’ intentions to facilitate the public are not just words, but are followed up in practice. Seafront and green space Eirik Sunde in Kaldnes AS says 40 per cent of the area should consist of open seafront with parks and cycle paths. – Critics believe it would be better to restore the area to become a green area. Isn’t that a better idea for the general public? – There must also be financial sustainability in what we do. It is a great housing resource for the municipalities for many generations to come, says Sunde. He has more faith in green urban development and at the same time protecting the surrounding areas. Does not close the door Julie Estdahl Stuestøl in the Green Party does not close the door to more development in Kaldnes. GREEN: Julie Estedahl Stuestøl wants a more open coastline. Photo: Berit Heggholmen – It is important that we are careful not to have overly tall buildings along the canal. We must also have open and green spaces, which are attractive to our residents, says Stuestøl. – Have you learned from previous projects? – I think so, absolutely. We must manage in a good way together with developers and residents.
ttn-69
I think we will see fewer such construction projects in the future – news Vestfold and Telemark – Local news, TV and radio
