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Anne Frøyland Grødem (47) said no to a company being able to buy her land and build a data center.
In the Kalberg and Fjermestad area in the Time municipality in Jæren, the Green Mountain company, owned by the powerful Smedvig, wants to build data centers on agricultural land. The company receives the support of local businessmen and politicians.
Jæren is known for some of the largest agricultural companies in Norway and for food of the highest quality. The basis for food production is food soil, an almost irreplaceable resource that the biological process takes up to a thousand years to form, something that Nettavisen has mentioned previously.
Therefore, the dream of the Norwegian developers “Silicon Valley” creates divisions among the population of the area. Many people are against anyone wanting to buy their land to build a hub for the world’s tech giants like Facebook, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and Apple.
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– Sense pressed
Anne Frøyland Grødem is one of those who reacts. It turned down 150 million kronor to give up much of the land and make room for the construction of a data center.
– I felt pressured to say yes. The company that submitted the offer was not threatening, but they presented the project as something very important, and that it had gone so far in the process that it was only to say yes, he tells Nettavisen.
It was the Nation that first mentioned the Grødem situation.
– I felt that it would be stupid if I rejected the offer, and that then I would stick sticks in the wheels for many, he says.
She was not prepared for the offer at all. He should get half a million a goal, and there is a lot of money for everyone. It was the turnkey contractor Masiv who presented him with the offer.
– It came very suddenly, and it was very unexpected that they came up with this arrangement. It seemed very big for the whole region, and it seemed like a project we had to be part of, says Grødem.
She asked for time to read the agreement before making up her mind.
– You feel quite small against the great giant, and large sums of money are thrown into the forest. The thought of saying yes crossed my mind. But in the end I decided to say no, she says.
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Money not guaranteed
The reason was mixed. She was not conscious of saying no to the land and the farm, not for herself or for the children. At the same time, he believes that it is important for society that he continues to drive, which gives us self-sufficiency in Norwegian food.
Grødem also noted that there were a number of clauses in the deal and as he reads it the main emphasis is in favor of the developer.
– As I understood it, I would only get the money if the project is approved by the municipality and the developer chooses to exercise the option, he says.
The dairy farm that Grødem runs with her husband is her farm where she grew up. The operating base also includes the husband’s farm, which is located further south in the township, as well as 150 acres of rented land.
The couple live on the man’s farm with three of their five children between the ages of 14 and 23. The milking takes place on the man’s farm and the young animals are on Anne’s farm. The children have also shown interest in taking over the farm for the long term.
– First we have to see what happens to the project, even if we do not sell our land, and then we will eventually see if the children take over, says Grødem.
Refuse the pressure
Frank Skjæveland, Managing Director of Masiv Eiendom, confirms that they made the offer to Grødem. However, he reacts to Grødem by saying that she felt pressured.
– It is a great nonsense and a vase. All affected owners were first invited to a meeting with the municipality, where the plans were presented. Then we contacted them and offered them an option agreement, he tells Nettavisen.
– There was no more pressure than to arrange a meeting and talk to her. It was never the case that he had to sign something, says Skjæveland.
He says the process had only just begun when he was made the offer about a year ago.
Skjæveland confirms, however, that Grødem would not have received the money unless the project had turned into something. If she said yes, but the project did not materialize, the agreement would collapse completely and the farm would continue as normal.
– Can you understand the opposition to data centers?
– Yes, to some extent I can understand that people do not want a commercial building as a neighbor. But even if it is at the expense of the land, this project will be able to provide many new jobs; we estimate between 500-2000, says Skjæveland.
– It is important to invest in something new when the oil business collapses, he says.
According to Skjævland, ten landowners in the area have so far agreed to reregulate their land to be energy intensive industrial.
– I think we can stop the project.
In November, the presidency said by five to four votes not to go ahead with the master plan for the data center, according to Aftenbladet. However, most said yes to the middle of the development in a smaller part of the outlined area. The minority appealed the case to the municipal council.
Before the case was examined by Time’s municipal council on December 15, Grødem wanted to make a statement, but it was rejected.
Most of the city council politicians agreed to go ahead with the project. The new plan involves 1,800 goals in six areas, and now everything will be subject to consultation with a deadline of February 14. The case can be finally approved by the city council in late spring 2021.
– After Christmas, we must take up the fight, read the plan carefully and write a good consultation statement, Grødem tells Nettavisen.
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She feels that there is good support in the village with people who are against the plans.
– I think we have a chance to stop him. If there are any of the plans, it will be completely tragic for both the town and the municipality, I mean, she says.
Both the topsoil and outdoor areas will be destroyed and she fears a lot of traffic and construction noise.
– Based on the information we have, I don’t have the impression that it provides as many local jobs and tax revenue to municipalities as those behind the project boast, he says.
– If this is adopted, the municipality of Time can spend many millions of crowns on someone who may not leave so much money. It will be a loss-making project, says Grødem.
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