Serious talk with Linus Niva

June 8, 2020

If LKAB is to continue creating jobs, paying taxes and playing an active role in the community, large parts of Kiruna must be moved. Access to land suitable for construction is therefore a key issue in the urban transformation and LKAB’s core business.

Linus Niva, Head of Department at the urban transformation unit in Kiruna

What is the availability of housing in the new Kiruna?
“At the moment we’re in a tight situation, with high demand for new homes while we don’t have land available that’s suitable for construction. If LKAB is to be able to build all the homes we’d planned for, we need access to land. As there is already a housing shortage in Kiruna, quite apart from the urban transformation project, we’re seeing the need increasing as decommissioning work proceeds,” Linus Niva, Head of the Urban Transformation Unit in Kiruna.   

To what extent is the issue of new homes a key concern for LKAB’s operations?
“Land suitable for construction is a key issue for a successful urban transformation and for Kiruna as a city. If no land is available, we cannot build new homes or offer new housing solutions to those affected by the urban transformation project. Nor can we decommission areas that are affected by mining, and ultimately this affects our core business. In other words, the housing supply is a key issue for the urban transformation and LKAB, but also for Kiruna as a community,” says Linus Niva.

How many homes is LKAB planning to build?  
“We want to build 100-200 new homes every year over a ten-year period. We also want to build more homes in addition to those that have to be replaced. We believe in Kiruna, in the need to build an attractive community, and we see the importance of strengthening the skills supply. LKAB intends to assume a high level of social responsibility,” says Linus Niva.

In which area is LKAB planning new housing?
“LKAB wants to start several construction projects in the new city centre area and in what is known as the shooting range area, but it’s difficult to say exactly when construction will start. We hope that we’ll be able to produce a long-term plan for the new production of new homes,” says Linus Niva.