Vinnuhúsið calls for national land-use plan for Faroe Islands

TÓRSHAVN — Vinnuhúsið, the Faroese business association, has urged the creation of a national land-use plan to guide development and protect the archipelago’s environment.

Niels Winther, director of Vinnuhúsið, and Súsanna Berg, its sustainability adviser, said the Faroese landscape remains poorly mapped, complicating efforts by businesses to assess risks to unique natural areas before undertaking projects.

“The Faroese natural environment is not sufficiently documented,” Berg said during a recent episode of the public broadcaster KVF’s radio series “Oyggjar undir trýsti.” “Without a full inventory, it is difficult for companies to know which areas may be suitable for development and which must be preserved.”

Winther stressed that any land-use planning must be sustainable over decades, ensuring the islands remain livable for future generations. “Everything we do must be viable not just now, but in 50 or 100 years,” he said.

The association supports the introduction of a dedicated law on land-use assessments in the Faroe Islands, as proposed in an earlier episode of the same series. Such legislation would establish clear boundaries for where economic activity can occur and where nature must be safeguarded.

A national land-use plan would align with the goals of a planning law, which aims to balance social priorities, environmental protection, and economic growth across the entire territory. The law emphasizes coordinated planning to integrate community interests, preserve biodiversity, and create favorable conditions for growth and culture.