Only one of the new property owners has started construction in Årby Norra, according to official sources. The project has been marked by problems and legal processes after the previous developer went bankrupt, and the other property owners risk fines only in 2032 if they have not started construction by then. The current owner, Sveafastigheter, does not want to comment on the current situation, but advertises apartments with move-in this year on its website.
Sveafastigheter faces a fine from the municipality if they do not complete construction within five years from taking over in 2022, though the exact deadline to avoid the fine is unclear. The municipality is responsible for the public land in the area, and according to the detailed plan, it should become a park and pleasant walkways. The area was named Sweden's ugliest parking lot a few years ago.
One wants that work to go in pace with the rest of the construction.
The municipality has initiated a pre-study to see what can be done on the site while waiting for the economic situation to improve. According to SVT Sörmland, Markus Engman described that the municipality is looking at the garage buildings on the parking lot and which smaller roads in the area are worth upgrading. The work will be presented this summer, but the findings of the pre-study and why Sveafastigheter avoids comment remain unknown.
One investigates partly what can be done in the long term and partly what can be done now during the interim period when there is a lull on the site.