Grindavík council challenges Þórkatla’s property buyback plan

Grindavík’s town council has declared it has no confidence in the way property company Þórkatla has dealt with residents and called for its property buyback plan to be revised in consultation with them, mbl.is reports.

The council issued its statement on Thursday after a residents’ meeting at Gjáin in Grindavík on Wednesday. It said the meeting’s conclusion was clear: residents do not trust Þórkatla’s board or management and reject the plan in its current form.

The council criticised the plan, saying it showed a lack of understanding of residents’ circumstances. It said the timing did not suit families, the proposed purchase prices did not reflect the condition of the properties, and the risks would fall on those who returned home first.

Residents also felt the company had given little consideration to their views or shown sufficient understanding of their situation, the statement said. “People from Grindavík are not asking for handouts and they do not want anything for free. They want their views to be heard, but Þórkatla has done so only to a limited extent.”

The council said the property purchases had been a rescue measure during natural disasters and that the buyback plan should be an important step in that effort. It said the law aims to protect residents’ financial security and welfare, but argued that Þórkatla’s current plan works against that purpose.

The council urged the company’s board and management to listen to residents and revise the plan with them. “Grindavík will not be rebuilt without the people of Grindavík,” the statement said.