The Reykjavík Municipal Building Inspector (byggingafulltrúi Reykjavíkurborgar) has immediately halted construction of a meat processing facility on the first floor of the warehouse at Álfabakki in Breiðholt.
Construction work on part of the controversial warehouse at Álfabakki 2A in Breiðholt, Reykjavík has been halted. This is stated in a letter from the Reykjavík Municipal Building Inspector.
The letter states that the Reykjavík Building Inspector has been reviewing the building permit for the warehouse.
There was a lack of clarity regarding space 0101 in the building, which was designated for meat processing. Additionally, there is no available information on whether the company Álfabakki 2A reported the planned meat processing facility and its potential environmental impact to the National Planning Agency.
According to the environmental assessment of projects and plans, packaging and canning of plant and animal products in facilities with a floor area of at least 1,000 square metres may be subject to an environmental assessment.
The Building Inspector is prohibited from issuing a building permit for a structure that falls under laws on environmental impact assessments until the National Planning Agency has provided an assessment of the environmental impact or determined that the project does not require such an assessment.
“It is the assessment of the Building Inspector that the environmental assessment opinion from the National Planning Agency regarding the proposed meat processing facility should have been the basis for processing the application for an amendment to the issued building permit,” the statement reads.
The Building Inspector has no knowledge of whether the company reported the planned meat processing facility to the National Planning Agency before applying for the aforementioned amendment to the issued building permit or the agency’s assessment of the environmental impact of the project.
According to the registration approved on 24 September 2024, space 0101 is designated for a meat processing facility of over 3,200 square metres. The statement notes that, in the assessment of the Building Inspector, the main building plans do not sufficiently clarify which areas within the space are designated for meat processing and are an inseparable part of it.
The Building Inspector has requested further clarification on this.
Additionally, clarification has been requested regarding discrepancies between the main building plans and the registration table for the warehouse. Space 0102 is designated as a nearly 1,500-square-metre retail space in the registration table, but as a work hall in the main building plans. Space 0103 is designated as a more than 2,000-square-metre storage area in the registration table, but as a warehouse in the main building plans.
Furthermore, the Building Inspector has requested clarification on access and services for customers, if the intention is to operate a retail store in space 0102.
According to the Reykjavík master plan, retail and services, offices, institutions, entertainment, and residential units are permitted on the Álfabakki 2A lot.
However, the Building Inspector has stated in the announcement that it is questionable whether a meat processing facility of the scale permitted in the approved main building plans aligns with the planning framework applicable to Álfabakki 2A.
As a result, all construction related to the meat processing facility on the first floor of the warehouse has been immediately halted. Additionally, the company has seven days from the receipt of the letter to submit written explanations and comments regarding the matter.
The Building Inspector will decide on the further handling of the case, which may include partially revoking the decision to approve the building permit for the meat processing facility on the first floor.
Source: Ruv.is
