Here, Oslo municipality opens up high-rise buildings of up to 125 metres. Today’s Oslo Plaza is 109 meters high. The National Antiquities Agency does not reject high-rise buildings completely. But they only want to allow them on a limited area at the back of Oslo S. They flatly say no to spreading them out over such a large area as the proposal for a new municipal plan calls for. High-rise buildings here will weaken the quality and value of important national cultural monuments and cultural environments, the Riksantikvaren believes. KIRKERISTEN: As the high-rise area is proposed, it extends all the way to Kirkeristen at Oslo Cathedral. Photo: Tor Erik Schrøder / NTB – Must be taken in – The area must be taken in, national antiquarian Hanna Geiran states. She stands on Jernbanetorget and points around. First up Karl Johan. – What you risk is that you get high-rise buildings that stand and lean against Oslo Cathedral and the listed Kirkerist, which many are very fond of. – Also here at Østbanehallen, there will be high-rise buildings that stick in, she says. The National Antiquarian is also critical that the plan allows for high-rise buildings by the opera, right up to Storgata and in parts of Greenland east of Akerselva. TALL BUILDINGS: In the dark brown area around Oslo S, it is proposed to allow 125 meter high buildings. Bjørvika in the lower middle, Slottsparken in the upper left. Photo: Planning and Building Agency / Oslo municipality High-rise buildings 12 places The decision in principle to allow 125 meter high buildings around Oslo S was made in the city council last autumn. Detailed rules are to be included in Oslo’s new municipal plan. It is on hearing until 22 September, and it is the one that the National Archives objects to. The desire to allow 125 meters around Oslo S is based on climate. Building high and close around public transport hubs has been a political mantra for many years. Oslo S is Norway’s largest public transport hub in a special class. Oslo municipality’s high-rise building strategy Oslo City Council adopted a new high-rise building strategy in September this year. Eleven areas have been designated to withstand high-rise buildings of up to 70 metres. The eleven areas are Storo, Økern, Helsfyr, Ensjø, Lysaker, Skøyen, Majorstua, Nydalen, Forskningsparken, Bryn and the “centre ring”, i.e. along parts of Ring 1 in the center of Oslo. The old height limit is 42 metres. In addition, the city council allows high-rise buildings of up to 125 meters around Oslo S. In the proposal for a new municipal plan, the rules for what can be built in these areas are described in more detail. The geographical extent of the areas is also affected. The proposal for the municipal plan is on consultation until 22 December. In the hearing, the National Archives objects to the plans around Oslo S and in Nydalen. An objection from a state body is a formal protest that Oslo municipality must deal with. The National Antiquities therefore respects the desire to reach upwards. – But you have to be aware of the consequences for the surrounding areas. It will affect the urban environment and cultural monuments in the immediate area. – Getting a potential wall of high-rise buildings does something for our city. We want to highlight that, says Hanna Geiran. NEAR ENOUGH: The Swedish National Antiquities Authority does not want high-rise buildings near the old Østbanesstationen. The post office in the middle of the picture. Photo: Olav Juven / news No, too, in Nydalen The high-rise plans around Oslo S are not the only ones the National Antiquities Authority says no to. They also object to the fact that Nydalen is designed to withstand 70 meter high buildings. The argument here is that the environment around Akerselva is recognized as a cultural environment of national interest. Today, the building limit is 42 metres. The 70 meter high so-called Vertikalen at Gullhaug Torg was approved in its time to strong protests. The reason why the city council agreed to a building that was in breach of the 42-metre limit was that Vertikalen was defined as a “point house” or “sculptural tower”. The National Antiquarian believes that it should be with one. – That is our advice, says Hanna Geiran. THE VERTICAL: The National Antiquities will not have more high-rise buildings at Akerselva in Nydalen than the vertical at Gullhaug Torg. Photo: Rolf Petter Olaisen / news – Not surprised that the municipal plan was sent to the old city council for consultation. It is the new urban development councilor James Stove Lorentzen (H) who will present the plan to the city council for final consideration. CITY COUNCIL: City development councilor James Stove Lorentzen will present the case to the city council. Photo: Bård Nafstad / news He points out that the deadline for objections and protests is Friday and that all input will be processed throughout the spring. – Then it is natural to enter into a dialogue with the National Archives about exactly these two objections, he says. – Does the Riksantikvaren have a point when they fear that the high-rise area around Oslo S will become far too large? – I can see that they are worried about it. It is not surprising, because they have already spoken out about individual cases. Looking at the whole area, we are open to discussing, says James Stove Lorentzen.
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National antiquities critical of high-rise buildings near Oslo S – news Oslo og Viken – Local news, TV and radio
