New Kåge residential street may not be built at all

The Skellefteå housing crisis intensifies as now a brand new residential street in Kåge for 14 family houses has been delayed, perhaps permanently. The reason for the delay is that the costs of constructing roads and the implementation of utilities have become too high.

This is where Dammängesgatan was supposed to be extended, and a new loop with plots created. The new houses were to be situated in the undergrowth in the background.

This is where Dammängesgatan was supposed to be extended, and a new loop with plots created. The new houses were to be situated in the undergrowth in the background.

Foto: Yvonne Rönngren

Kåge2023-10-04 16:00

According to the municipality's original plan, a new street should have been completed by now in northern Kåge, as an extension of Dammängesgatan. There were to be 14 new lots, and a detailed plan exists.

But no excavations have been made, and it's unclear when they can start.

– The tenders for some of the work have been too high, and we can't make the finances work, says Patrik Larsen, head of land and development at Skellefteå municipality.

The idea was to sell the new lots for 300,000 kronor each.

One of the city's principles is that each new housing development should cover its own costs, which sets a maximum amount for the preparation of the area. This includes water, sewage and other utilities, road construction, pedestrian and bicycle paths, and street lighting.

–The cost of providing these services has gradually increased throughout the year, and there's no trend to indicate that it will decrease. So we don't know what to do, whether to start this autumn or wait until next year, says Larsen.

As Norran has previously reported, two planned residential areas in Örviken and Bureå have been put on hold due to heavy metals being found in the topsoil.

Now another area is in limbo, but not because of environmental issues.

So when will there be new houses built? Next in line are the stage two Falkträsket development and northeast Morö Backe.

However, completely new detailed plans are being drawn up, and there is always the risk of an appeal.

– I hope that these two plans will be ready by the end of the year. But then it will take at least a year to build the infrastructure and release the plots for building, says Larsen.

The earliest the houses could be built would be 2025.