According to Region Gotland, the government has now made a decision on the matter, following the county administrative board's line. The Swedish Armed Forces appealed the building permit decision for a new permanent school building to the county administrative board last autumn, citing proximity to the Tofta firing range. Region Gotland appealed the decision to the government, which now follows the county administrative board's line.
As a result, there will be no new school building in Västerhejde. ' School operations will continue as usual, and no changes are planned for the 2026/27 school year. The school pavilion will remain, and the temporary building permit for the pavilion on the school grounds expires in 2027.
I regret that Region Gotland's appeal has not been heard, and this naturally raises questions about how we can meet both the total defense's and civil society's needs going forward on Gotland.
Work on alternative solutions is ongoing, with several efforts underway so the school can continue its operations. Last autumn, the children's and education committee indicated that alternative solutions would be needed if the government gave a negative decision. Decisions on these are expected in March/April 2026.
Information has been spread that students must move to other schools after the summer of 2026 due to the decision, but this is not true. ' How the school's long-term needs will be addressed after the temporary building permit expires in 2027 remains unclear.
The education and working life administration continues to work together with the technical and community building administration so that students and staff have a safe and functioning school environment.