Construction allowed even if important cultural monuments are lost – NRK

The experience center “The Whale” in Andenes is expected to be the new beacon for Northern Norway tourism. But a 1000-year-old find in the ground made it a joke for the project.

Norway’s largest agricultural mound from the Iron Age meant the project with a price tag of NOK 400 million suddenly hung in the balance.

But now the county council has concluded:

The project has such great social significance that they grant a dispensation from the Cultural Heritage Law.

Therefore, they are allowed to build

Andenes was probably the largest fishing village in northern Norway in the Middle Ages, and remains of the settlement can be found here.

But despite the important underground cultural monuments, they are now allowed to build.

According to County Councilor Kirsti Saxi, a significant part of this agricultural mound will be lost during development.

But that doesn’t mean it’s free.

– We establish a series of conditions. When we lose access to a large part of the important cultural monuments, we must anticipate archaeological investigations to better understand what they contain. Archaeological research will take place before construction begins, Saxi says.

The councilor believes that it is regrettable that cultural monuments are lost as a consequence of development, but that the consequences must be weighed against the intention and social significance of the measure.

I hope to start construction next year.

The councilor is confident that they can put the shovel down as soon as possible, once the archaeological investigations have been clarified.

– I heard that it may already happen next year. If possible, then it is very good, he says.

Surveys are likely to be cheaper than previously thought

– As part of the case, therefore, we have obtained the advice of the Museum of the Arctic University of Norway, and they have recommended that in this case a waiver of the Cultural Heritage Act be granted.

There were also those who estimated for the first time that the surveys would cost NOK 23 million more.

But these are greatly reduced. The county council expects that the cost has now been reduced by at least NOK 10 million.

– It is important to highlight that it is the National Heritage Board that, at a later date, will determine the scope and final budget of archaeological investigations, he explains.

– This is the source we have

The head of the section of cultural monuments in Nordland, Geir Davidsen, spoke earlier this week about the importance of cultural monuments.

– They are remains of houses, structures and piles of garbage that over time have accumulated up to several meters with cultural layers that remain intact and tell this story, says Davidsen.

– Why is it so important to take care of these cultural monuments?

– Cultural monuments are perhaps our most important source of life lived in prehistory. Written sources date back a few hundred years, while we have settled in Nordland for the last 12,000 years. That is, what we find of clues is the source we have.