Residents in Faroe Islands express dissatisfaction with urban and rural planning, survey reveals

A recent survey conducted by Kringvarpi reveals that residents across nearly all municipalities in the Faroe Islands express varying degrees of dissatisfaction with local urban and rural planning.

In the survey question, “How satisfied are you with this issue: Urban and rural planning?” respondents rated their satisfaction on a scale from 1 to 7, where 1 signifies “Very satisfied” and 7 indicates “Very dissatisfied.” These responses were then converted into a score from 0 to 100, with higher scores reflecting greater satisfaction. The survey included 175 respondents from the municipality of Runavík.

Urban planning encompasses a wide range of considerations, such as where new developments should occur, the layout of roadways, industrial zones, commercial activity, and residential areas. Tórbjørn Jacobsen, the mayor of Runavík, acknowledges the challenges involved in urban planning along the western arm of Skálafjørður.

“It is a challenge to build a town on a slope that runs alongside a fjord,” Jacobsen stated, highlighting the complexities faced in the planning process. The findings raise pertinent questions about the effectiveness of municipal planning and the need for improvements in addressing community concerns.