The MDG leader wants to punish the rich more severely for breaking the law in the beach zone

FORNEBU (Aftenposten): If you are convicted of drink-driving, the fine increases depending on how much you earn. MDG will increase the fines – and have the same system for illegal changes in the beach zone.

Færder municipality, 2019:

A cabin owner was fined NOK 75,000 after blowing away a reef in the fjord outside the cabin. The company that carried out the blasting had to pay NOK 180,000, according to NRK.

Kragerø, February this year: A man was fined NOK 150,000.

He got the fine after, among other things, blowing up and filling in terrain during the construction of a home in the beach zone. according to Tønsbergs Blad.

There are two examples of what the municipalities have deemed to be such serious breaches of building regulations in the beach zone that they have introduced fines.

But the levels of fines used by the municipalities are not harsh enough, says MDG leader Arild Hermstad.

– The fines today are ridiculously low, he says to Aftenposten.

When the MDG gathers for a national meeting in Fornebu this weekend, they are scheduled to adopt a new policy against what they call everyday crime against nature. Increased fines for offenses in the beach zone are one of the measures.

Want doubling

Current legislation allows for fines of up to NOK 400,000 and imprisonment for up to a year in the most serious cases.

– In the first instance, we should double the fines, and later they should increase even more, says Hermstad.

In the long term, he envisions an increase of 4–5 times the current level. In addition, Hermstad believes that the fines should be graded according to income and wealth, as is done with alcohol convictions.

– We want this to go through so that it works as a preventive measure, so that people stop breaking the law, because they know that it can be very expensive for them to be caught for destroying the beach zone, says Hermstad.

In Indre Oslofjord, as much as 71 percent of the beach zone is inaccessible to public traffic and accommodation, figures from Statistics Norway show.

For the country as a whole, 32 percent is unavailable.

This despite the fact that, as a general rule, it has not been allowed to build in a 100-metre belt along the sea since the 1950s.

– The Beach Act is quite clear. The fact that we are having this discussion here shows that the law does not work, Hermstad believes.

He believes a problem is that the municipalities are challenged by people with a lot of power and wealth.

– It requires a very strong and competent administration in the municipality. In many municipalities, it is simply David’s battle against Goliath, says Hermstad.

MDG is also in favor of more money to follow up illegalities in the beach zone, better training and registration of dispensations in the municipalities.

Softened in 2021

However, the building ban is not absolute. This can be waived by the municipalities through plans and dispensations. In 2021, the regulations for sparsely built-up areas along the coast were also softened.

– We have a lot of coastline in Norway. Isn’t this really an Oslo problem?

– For the municipalities around the Oslofjord, it is very critical. But I think very many of our urban and rural areas experience the same. You don’t see the result until it’s too late. The finest and best areas are privatized and become inaccessible to the general public. It is worrying, says Hermstad.