LKAB replaces more buildings in Kiruna

In the urban transformation of Kiruna, forecasts have previously been made for how buildings will be affected by mining in the future. They have defined the so-called impact area, or a deformation line. It has now been discovered that some buildings outside the deformation line are also affected as the mine grows.

These are critical buildings such as the district heating plant, the water tower, the sports hall, two schools and a nursing home. These are large buildings and require long planning and construction time to replace.

"This agreement creates the conditions for the continued development of the community. We want to give the municipality the best opportunities to plan its socially important activities. Starting the work in time will allow important functions to be planned and built in new locations. We expect that the compensation can correspond to just over SEK 2 billion,” says Stefan Hämäläinen, LKAB’s manager for urban transformation.

The fact that LKAB plans to acquire them before the impact area is updated gains time and creates opportunities for both LKAB and the municipality. Smaller buildings, such as private villas, are not affected in the same way in advance as some of the large concrete buildings.

"The messages we now receive from LKAB are basically positive, as we have been asking for them for a long time regarding municipal properties, which are located right next to the current deformation line. This provides much better planning conditions for Kiruna municipality, says Mats Taaveniku, municipal councilor.

Lennart Håkansson

editor@northswedenbusiness.com