I believe that everyone understands the importance of shortening the times as much as possible, says Infrastructure Minister Andreas Carlson (KD).
There is already a significant shortage of remand prison and prison places today. And the need is expected to increase over the next ten years.
The Prison and Probation Service has received significant budget increases and started several projects around the country, but new institutions can take five to ten years to complete. Therefore, an investigation proposes changes to the building permit regulations.
Temporary building permits are proposed to be granted in more cases than today. For example, it should not be required that the building is temporary or that a decommissioning of the building must be shown to be economically viable.
Regarding permanent building permits, it is proposed that more deviations from the detailed plan be allowed for the building's scope, design, or placement if it concerns prisons or remand prisons.
According to Carlson, it's not about lowering the requirements for the building itself.
I see no risks related to quality.
The proposals do not imply an obligation for municipalities to grant permits or extensions. On the other hand, the investigator proposes an opportunity for the government to bypass municipalities in the event of acute shortage.
This is a safety valve if the situation were to become so acute that it must be handled in an extraordinary way, says Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer (M).
The investigator estimates that the legislative changes can come into force in about a year, but Strömmer notes that the proposals must first be sent out for consultation before the government takes a stance.
