LKAB’s board has decided which compensation principles will apply to the decommissioning of eastern Malmberget. The principle could be summed up as “turnkey” – that is, LKAB builds new houses as compensation.
You can also choose money equivalent to the market value of the house plus 25 percent.
– After 18 years of struggle, this was the best Christmas present we could get, says Maria Olofsson, resident in eastern Malmberget.
The battle has been going on for years
The conflict between the villa owners in eastern Malmberget and Gällivare municipality on the one hand and LKAB on the other has been going on for many years.
The villa owners have considered that the impact from the mine is very disturbing in the form of subsidence that causes the houses to crack, as well as dust and noise. The municipality has stated that the area is too small and isolated.
LKAB’s position has been that one does not violate the environmental conditions and thus has no legal basis for redeeming the houses according to the principles of the Minerals Act.
Several large earthquakes in the near future
During the autumn, a series of large earthquakes occurred which caused both LKAB and the county board to reconsider their position, and on Friday the decision was thus made public.
– The most important thing right now is that everyone who wants to sell their house should be able to do so, and ensure that there is land on which replacement housing can be built, says Linus Niva, head of LKAB’s social transformation.
The work of contacting the villa owners of the total of 108 properties has begun and how long the process to build new homes for those who choose it is difficult to say.
– We have a good dialogue with Gällivare municipality and feel confident that together we can solve the availability of buildable land and quickly start building, says Linus Niva.