Plan for temporary school campus in Laugardalur approved

The land-use plan change redesignates a lot previously allocated to Ævintýraborg, Reykjavík City's temporary preschool, for the new campus, which will serve as a temporary primary school facility for the city. This modification to the municipal plan re-zones 1.2 hectares of a designated sports area for community service use to accommodate the campus. Proposed municipal plan and land-use plan changes were advertised for six weeks in fall 2025. After the advertising period, officials processed comments and held consultation meetings with stakeholders as needed.

The change is intended to enable the rapid construction of school facilities to address urgent maintenance needs in nearby school districts, particularly at the Laugarnesskóli, Langholtsskóli, and Laugalækjarskóli. These adjustments were developed in consultation with Reykjavík City's Department of Education & Youth to address pressing needs within the school districts.

Location of the temporary school campus and Laugardalur's future vision

Planners considered several options for the area. The final location was chosen partly because the site is on already-developed land, which avoids using quieter or greener areas in Laugardalur. The site also integrates well with existing residential areas, sports facilities, and community services, and is centrally located for the three primary schools. Comments during the advertising period also expressed concern that the change would set a precedent for additional changes in Laugardalur, especially on sports areas. Since the framework plan for Laugardalur was approved in 2005, the area has developed into a diverse sports and recreation hub. Looking ahead, projects such as the construction of the planned Þjóðarhöll arena offer opportunities for greater integration between sports activities and community services, while also enhancing the green spaces that define Laugardalur.

The transportation assessment shows the temporary school campus is well-served by public transit and accessible via active travel modes.

Consultation with emergency responders

During the advertising period, various stakeholders and emergency responders submitted comments about access route design in the land-use plan. Following the advertising period, officials consulted with the Capital Area Fire Department and Reykjavík Metropolitan Police to ensure their access to the area and that the land-use plan changes would not limit attendance at events in Laugardalur, especially at the national stadium. A solution for access routes to Laugardalsvöllur Stadium was agreed upon, which will add a new entrance leading to a parking area just north of the current one. The new route will be controlled by an access system available to emergency responders, which also allows the route to be opened to the public, for example, during large events outside of school hours or when needed for construction. Otherwise, the route will remain closed, with priority given to pedestrian safety and to minimizing intersections with vehicle traffic.