Construction Temporarily Halted Following Surfers’ Complaint

Land reclamation work off the coast of Þorlákshöfn has been temporarily halted until the Environmental and Natural Resources Board rules on an appeal, reports RÚV.

Construction at the Suðurvararbryggja pier in Þorlákshöfn has been put on hold while the Environmental and Natural Resources Board reviews a complaint filed by the Icelandic Surfing Association.

The association argues that the project will cause irreversible damage to one of the best surf waves in Europe. They also claim that the Planning Agency’s decision not to require an environmental assessment is flawed.

The board has yet to review the appeal. Since the land reclamation work is expected to take only a few months, the board decided to suspend the construction permit temporarily to ensure a ruling is made before the project is completed.