Rebuilding of Hraun – west

The Environment and Planning Service of Hafnarfjörður held a public information meeting on 16 June regarding the planned work on a detailed plan for a site bordered by Fjarðarhraun, Reykjavíkurvegur and Flatahraun. The meeting included a review of the planning statement for the area, the local topography and settlement, and the master plan. The meeting was well attended, and there was great interest in the changes and development of the area.  

The lava fields – the western area was originally developed as an industrial estate, but the local authorities in Hafnarfjörður now intend to build a mixed-use development there for light industry, services and housing. At the same time, there are plans to densify the built-up area on part of the site, as some of the buildings are in poor condition and the land use is inefficient. A strong emphasis is being placed on consultation and cooperation with landowners in this work, and it is planned to form a 3-5 person working group of stakeholders/landowners in the area for consultation throughout the project. The concept for the new regional plan is based on the Greater Copenhagen concept and the cooperation of municipalities in the greater capital region, where the emphasis is on residential development growing into existing built-up areas and densification taking place along public transport corridors/train, the so-called 'Borgarlína' (Metro Line), which is planned to run past, among other places, the Hraunáreas in Hafnarfjörður.

Ideas, assumptions and objectives

A planning statement for a new detailed plan for the western part of Hraunanna was recently approved by the Planning and Building Board, and the area's 2008 framework plan will be used as the basis for the planning process. The legal framework for planning is a specific process that takes time, and it is important that a comprehensive plan is in place before any construction work begins. Thorvaldur Sveinsson, the City Planner for Hafnarfjörður, presented ideas in his presentation to the meeting regarding the vision and main objectives of the new detailed plan, etc.i.e. to densify the area's built-up area, improve the quality of the environment and partially change the land use from an industrial area to a mixed-use area with an increase in housing in line with the policy of the 2013–2025 Hafnarfjörður Master Plan.

The presentation from the meeting can be found here.  

Many people spoke at the meeting, and attendees generally seemed both enthusiastic and positive about the plans and ideas presented. Attendees had the opportunity to sign up for an interest group for the redevelopment of the Hraunabyggð – West.

Here are some points from interested parties at the meeting:

• It was pointed out that there is a sufficient supply of industrial sites in Hafnarfjörður that could accommodate the industrial companies which will have to relocate from the area.
• Asked whether similar plans existed for Hraunin – East. It was stated that it was very likely that the area would be zoned in the wake of Hraunin – West.
• It was pointed out that a similar project in Vogabyggð, Reykjavík, was in many ways comparable; there, consultation with the landowners got off to a late start.
• It was noted that the landowners are set to benefit the most from the redevelopment of the area, due to the significant increase in value resulting from the densification of the built-up area.
• A local landowner expressed satisfaction with the plans in Hraunin, hoping that investors would see an opportunity to buy land for development. He said part of the area was in a state of disrepair.
• It was pointed out that in Reykjavík, flats are allocated on the one hand to the social housing stock and on the other to private rental. It emerged that in Hafnarfjörður, no decision has yet been taken on this.
• A question was asked about the project's timescale. The planning statement indicates that, to begin with, several planning designers will be appointed to propose developments and ideas for the area's layout, after which the detailed planning process will be undertaken. If all goes to plan, construction could begin around the middle of next year, but the process could be delayed by unforeseen factors.
• Traffic issues were raised, pointing out that certain traffic elements are in a poor state regarding access and junctions. Safety and quality must be ensured in the planning, and transport options must also be guaranteed.
• It was noted that Hafnarfjörður is well-placed for densification projects, as the town is well-equipped with infrastructure, for example in terms of space in its primary schools.