Överjärva farm is Solna’s last preserved farm environment with several buildings from the 19th century, located in Igelbäcken’s nature reserve. The farm has been owned by the city of Solna since 1995 and for several years the barn has been heavily dilapidated.
– I have not been involved during all the years but I think it is because they had a vague picture of what to use the barn for, says Peter Edholm (L), culture and leisure municipal councilor in Solna.
Ten million kroner to save the barn’s shell
The city of Solna will now renovate and develop Överjärva farm. The plan was to demolish the barn and build a new similar building – because it was not economically defensible to renovate, according to city experts.
But the demolition plans were stopped by the county administrative board, because it would damage the farm’s historical values. Now the barn, together with other buildings in the area, will be refurbished – for at least ten million kronor.
– When you renovate a 200-year-old house, you can come across surprises along the way, so what it costs to renovate the house, there is great uncertainty about, says Edholm.