– We knew that this day would come, says Samuel Jäck (18). He and his friend Joel Eggers stand in front of the 10-metre high lookout tower they have built. Now the multi-year cottage adventure is over for the two 18-year-olds. Employees from the municipality were in for a surprise when they recently found the building erected on the municipality’s land, writes Vennesla Tidende, which mentioned the case first. The story of the building in the forest started when the boys were 12 years old. Then they were looking for a place to build a small cabin. The fact that they have built the lookout tower without permission is something they have thought about now in retrospect. – But it is too late to do anything about it now. If in the worst case we have to take down the tower, it was fun anyway while it lasted, says Samuel Jäck. – A little impressed It was unit manager for planning and development in Vennesla municipality Ola Skei Bekken, who asked those responsible for the building to sign up. When he went out into the forest to look at it for the first time, he found something he had absolutely not imagined. – I have to admit that I was a little impressed by what two young boys have achieved, says Bekken. He is happy that the boys have signed up and taken responsibility. Unit manager for planning and development in Vennesla municipality Ola Skei Bekken together with the two 18-year-olds who built the lookout tower. Photo: Asbjørn Odd Berge / news Uncertain future What will happen to the lookout tower is not yet clear. Since it has received a lot of attention lately, the police have set up barricades. It is now illegal to go up and into the cabin. – If we are to give this a chance, it must first be assessed whether the building is safe enough, says Bekken. The lookout tower is blocked off until further notice. The municipality will now investigate whether it is safe. Photo: Asbjørn Odd Berge / news Bekken points out that this is a very special case that they hope they can find a good solution to without reporting to the police. – The boys have not done this with a view to gain or profit. He believes there are good odds that the tower can remain standing if it proves to be safe. According to him, the solution could be to hand over the tower to the municipality or an association, so that it benefits the public. The builders think this can be a good arrangement. – Or we might have to tear it down, says Joel Eggers. He says that there is a room at the top of the tower, where the plan was to have a sofa where they could cozy up and enjoy the nice view. news has been in contact with the police, who say that it is usually the municipalities that follow up such cases themselves and that reports are only made in special circumstances. – Fun while it lasted The 18-year-olds, who are now carpentry apprentices, are happy that they now have a good dialogue with the municipality. – We can have regrets every now and then. Maybe we shouldn’t spend so much time on this, says Samuel Jäck. They have managed to build the cabin with materials they have either bought or received. Before they started on the lookout tower, they built two small cabins in the same area. The friends have also built these two cabins in the past. Photo: Asbjørn Odd Berge / news Want to focus on the opportunities – Things have probably gone a bit fast here, says Nils Olav Larsen, who is the mayor of Vennesla. He says they must look at this matter with a positive eye, but emphasizes that he agrees that the boys should have stopped a long time ago. – They may not have fully understood the usual procedure in a building case, but the story is what it is. One has taken the other and we have to look at a picture of possibilities, says Larsen. Mayor of Vennesla Nils Olav Larsen says they must look at the matter with a positive eye. Photo: Asbjørn Odd Berge / news
ttn-69
Teenagers built watchtowers without permission
