Just over half of the residential houses in Hrísey are holiday homes. Staffing service jobs in summer has been a challenge, and the island’s neighbourhood council wants to increase the number of full-time residents.
The population of Hrísey could increase significantly in the coming years if the construction of new housing on the island goes ahead.
More than half of the residential houses in Hrísey stand empty part of the year, and there is a lack of housing for those who want to settle there permanently.
In the new zoning plan for the municipality of Akureyri, major development is proposed on an area of just under nine hectares. The plan includes 16 new residential plots and around five commercial or industrial plots.
The Hrísey neighbourhood council has long called for a zoning plan for the area, without which no development can take place.
“We’ve been waiting a long time for this. Hopefully we won’t have to wait just as long for it to be completed. But it also depends a bit on whether someone is willing to come here – contractors, rental companies, individuals – and build a home,” says Ásrún Ýr Gestsdóttir, service and information officer for the municipality of Akureyri in Hrísey.
51% of residential houses are holiday homes
Hrísey has a year-round population of around 120 people. That number can triple in summer, but 51% of all residential houses on the island are holiday homes.
Staffing the service jobs was a bit of a challenge this summer. We can’t bring in outside labour either, because there’s no housing available for them.
For instance, there were plans to close the swimming pool for part of the summer, as no accommodation could be found for a staff member.
Ásrún herself is currently covering shifts at the Hrísey shop so that the island’s sole shop worker can take a short summer holiday.
She says holiday home owners play an active and important role in the life of Hrísey, but that the number of year-round residents needs to increase. It is unfortunate to have no homes available for families.
When I was growing up here, there were 300 people and 40 children in the primary school. So we can definitely accommodate more people.
Source: Ruv.is
