The local mayor, who hails from the Christian Democrats, supports the royal couple's plans, but the Socialist Left is firmly opposed. That's because the building would take place on state-owned property that would mean giving Haakon and Mette-Marit privileges that ordinary citizens would never get.
Kristiansand newspaper Fædrelandsvennen reported over the weekend that the crown prince and princess have their sights on a seaside parcel on the island of Flekkerøy. The land is currently owned by Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK), which had a transmitter on part of the property and uses other portions of it for an employee retreat.
NRK reportedly is in the process of selling the prime waterfront property to Kristiansand township, which in turn would open it up to public use. A portion of it, however, would be set aside for Haakon and Mette-Marit, who want to build their own summer house on it.
"We will protest strongly against rezoning of the property to holiday use for the royals," Gro Hareide of the Socialist Left in Vest-Agder told newspaper VG on Sunday. "They shall not have other advantages than us."
Hareide argues that its not the township's obligation to provide holiday property for the royals. "Many people want the entire area opened up for recreational use," she told VG. "It's nice that the crown couple wants a holiday home in Kristiansand, but this would be unfair for others."
Local mayor Jan Oddvar Skisland disagrees. "Kristiansand is the crown princess' hometown," he said. "It would be nice if we could make it possible for them to have a summer home in the area."
Officials at the royal palace in Oslo are staying largely mum on the issue, saying only that no agreements have been signed regarding the royals' purchase of a holiday home.
