Budget allows sale of Reykjavík police headquarters

The 2027 budget authorises the sale of a wide range of state-owned properties, including the Reykjavík Metropolitan Police headquarters at Hverfisgata 113 to 115, mbl.is reports. The finance minister may also buy or lease more suitable premises for the police operation.

The authorisation covers state-owned buildings used by primary, secondary and special schools, as well as universities, where operations are being reorganised. It also applies to premises used by healthcare institutions, hospitals, courts, police and district commissioners, provided that more suitable buildings are bought or leased as part of the reorganisation.

Courts could move

The buildings housing Reykjavík District Court and the Court of Appeal may be sold. These are located on Austurstræti in Reykjavík and Vesturvör in Kópavogur. The state may buy or lease other suitable premises to replace them.

Other properties authorised for sale include the Customs House on Tryggvagata, state-owned properties at Vífilsstaðir in Garðabær and the state’s share in Hafnarstræti 99 to 101 in Akureyri, where the North Iceland Healthcare Institution was previously based.

The finance minister may also sell the premises of the University of Iceland’s laboratory at Keldnaholt. The state alcohol and tobacco company ÁTVR may sell Austurstræti 10a in Reykjavík and Hólabraut 16 in Akureyri.

More state properties listed

University of Iceland Properties may sell Hofsvallagata 53, which houses the university’s Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences.

The budget also authorises the sale of state-owned properties at Stakkahlíð and Laugarnesvegur 91 in Reykjavík, which currently house the Iceland University of the Arts. Rauðarárstígur 25, used by the National Police Commissioner’s office, may be sold, as may Skuggasund 1 to 3, which houses Umbra, the Government Offices’ service centre.

Premises belonging to the Westfjords Police Commissioner and Skatturinn may be sold. The state may also sell or otherwise dispose of its share in an aviation service facility on Nauthólsvegur and a radar building at Reykjavík Airport.

The premises of the Cultural Heritage Agency may be sold. State properties at Hólar in Hjaltadal may also be sold or otherwise disposed of as part of a reorganisation of housing arrangements for Hólar University, with other suitable premises bought or leased instead.

Laugavegur 162 to 166 in Reykjavík may be sold and replaced with other suitable premises. The former Skatturinn building now houses, among others, the National Archives, the Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority, the Reykjavík Metropolitan Police and the Prison and Probation Administration.

The finance minister may also sell abandoned farms and house ruins suitable for rebuilding on leased plots.

Land and holiday plots

State-owned land on Blikastaðavegur in Reykjavík may be sold, as may state land parcels on the Reykjanes peninsula. State-owned holiday-home plots, residential plots and land parcels that have been leased for a long period may be sold to the tenants on the basis of an independent valuation.