Contractor seeks to return two Kópavogur building plots

Construction company Fagmót wants to return two plots in the Vatnsendahverfi neighbourhood of Kópavogur after raising objections twice this summer, mbl.is reports. The company offered nearly 116 million Icelandic krónur in total for building rights on the plots.

The objections concerned contradictory information from the municipality, delays in handing over the plots and the processing of building plans.

In one case, Kópavogur acknowledged that it had provided the company with incorrect information.

Contradictory answers about building height

In May, Fagmót complained about plots at Heiðarhvarf 1 to 3 and 9 to 11 after receiving conflicting information about whether single-storey houses could be built there.

The company was initially told that single-storey construction might be permitted. The municipality’s planning department later concluded that it was not. Kópavogur acknowledged that a mistake had been made in responding to the inquiry but said the information was corrected when the error was discovered.

A majority of the municipal council also said that improvements had been made in response to problems with plot allocations in Vatnsendahverfi. The allocation documents had been clarified, and work was under way to simplify the information provided to construction companies.

Calls for independent review

Einar Jóhannes Guðnason, a municipal councillor for the Centre Party, said the matter warranted an independent administrative review of Kópavogur’s environmental department.

He said it was important that construction companies could rely on information provided by the municipality when submitting bids for plots.

Fagmót then requested in June to return two other plots, at Stöðvarhvarf 12 and 14. The company offered 57.9 million krónur in building rights for each plot.

Fagmót cited delays in handing over the plots and the lengthy processing time for approving the building plans. The municipal council has been asked to approve the returns.