Debate, Whales | We should try to create more life outside the summer season at Hvaler

Debate post This is a debate entry, written by an external contributor. The post expresses the writer’s views.

Do we need a hotel at Hvaler? Several people are wondering about this, after a long debate in various media, and where the opinions are very different with sometimes steep fronts.

But the answer to the question is actually YES! So far, we think most Hvaler residents agree. Why do we need hotels? Yes, it is to create jobs, immigrants of younger people and preferably families with children. This in turn will lead to more children in daycare and school, and to the extent that these people live in Hvaler municipality, it will provide more tax income for a depleted municipal coffers.

This will be completely in line with Hvaler’s commitment to tourism and a vision of “Whales all year round”. We should try to create more business outside the summer season. I think many people also agree with all this, even if some do not believe in a large positive effect of a hotel. But generally speaking, it will always be the case that larger business establishments will be positive for a society.

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Mona Vauger: Definitely no to a mammoth hotel on Sand

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So what is the problem? Yes, it is essentially the following:

1. Where will the hotel be located?

2. What should it look like?

3. How big should it be?

The answers to these three questions are so different that the most likely scenario now is that there will be no hotel. There is no point in facilitating something that cannot be implemented, either because there are no investors, or because the municipality imposes such strict restrictions that potential developers withdraw.

As of today, there are two or possibly three alternative locations:

It is Skjærhalden (the old timber plot)
Sand on Spjærøy
and possibly Stokken

Other alternatives can be thought of, but in that case these are many years in the future. Municipal plans and area plans take a long time to adopt. Regulatory plans also take time.

Industry experts say that if a hotel is to function in winter, it must be of a certain size. For example, at least 150 rooms, a conference hall, a restaurant and possibly a SPA facility.

Such a hotel on Skjærhalden could possibly be built, but as of today this seems uncertain. Is the plot big enough? What about the car and bus traffic through the center of Skjærhalden, which is also problematic today? Plans are not ready, but the political majority has said they are willing to urgently carry out approval of the plan. But no one has seen such a plan yet, and there is uncertainty surrounding the developer in question.

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Yes to course and conference hotels – at Skjærhalden

What about Stokken? There have been some approaches to plans there as well, but no one is queuing up there, and it would probably not be a large facility.

Then one is left with Sand. What is the status there? The area is specifically set aside for hotels in the municipal plan. It is close to the main road and few neighbors will be shy.

The developer must have many rooms in order for one to take the risk of building a hotel with financial sustainability. Instead of banding large areas, one has chosen to go higher. The height will also make the hotel attractive so that it also contributes to a sustainable project.

But exactly this is possibly so far away from what many Hvaler residents can tolerate, that the political majority will probably put their foot down.