Plans for bombed government buildings delayed

There will be no final decision until 2013 on what to do with the government buildings damaged by the July 22nd bomb in downtown Oslo, but several possible solutions have now been presented.

The alternatives were presented on Thursday by Rigmor Aasrud, Minster of Government Administration, Reform and Church Affairs. "Too late," Gjermund Hagesæter from the Progress Party tells NRK. 

To many, the presentation featured more questions than answers, and Hagesæter thinks that the government is moving too slow, without any ambition for progress.

Aasrud on the other hand asks the public for suggestions, and wants a broad and open debate before taking any further steps. "The attack on the government buildings was an attack on our democracy; it was an attack against all of us. That’s why it concerns everybody," she says.

The Government did confirm that they want to gather all the different ministries in one area rather than spread them around the city, particularly for security reaasons. This has also been stressed by the police. However, the parties have different views on what it should look like, and whether or not they should tear down the high rise.

Three main alternatives are up for discussion: 1) Keep and preserve the exterior of the buildings, but renovate the interior. 2) To tear everything down and build a new cluster of buildings 3) Keep some of the buildings and tear down others.

The Government has also decided that the development will be led by a governmental zoning plan rather than the municipal regulations. However, the City of Oslo expects to be included in the development of the project, says Nikolai Astrup from the Conservative Party (Høyre).

It is estimated that the construction will cost between NOK 5-10 billion, and that the time for refurbishing or building new structures would be 5 to 8 years.

(NRK)

Julie Ryland

Friday, 27 January 2012 08:10