New councillor, snow and Fornebubanen delays

The latest news from Oslo over the past 48 hours: Christina Solli Ektvedt’s appointment as councillor responsible for urban development and criticism of her ties to the real estate industry dominate local political life. Oslo County is also preparing for a spell of snow, while the Fornebubanen construction project continues to face delays and rising costs. Nationaltheatret is heading towards a temporary move to Tøyen.

Oslo News: A New City Council Member for Urban Planning

On Tuesday, Christina Solli Ektvedt was appointed city council member responsible for urban planning in the city of Oslo, following Anita Leirvik North’s (H) resignation in late October. Ektvedt leaves her position as development director at Obos, one of Norway’s largest property developers. She also served as a city council secretary in the urban planning department from 2013 to 2015. City council leader Eirik Lae Solberg (H) justifies this choice by a combination of “very valuable” experience and says he wants to accelerate work on the housing crisis (NRK Oslo).

However, the appointment has drawn criticism. Siavash Mobasheri (Rødt) believes that the new city council member has close ties to the real estate sector. Ektvedt has served on the boards of companies linked to, among others, Løvenskiold and Industrifinans, according to NRK Oslo. “We are talking about a city council member responsible for regulatory cases involving multibillion investments for private developers,” says Mobasheri. Rødt calls for full transparency on potential conflicts of interest and for the city council member to make public all relevant information about her connections.

The debate comes as Oslo County must deal with major urban planning cases, from densification to housing construction. The appointment of a former Obos executive to this position is therefore being scrutinised by the opposition. For the majority, private-sector experience is an advantage for accelerating procedures. For Rødt, it instead raises questions of trust in public decision-making (NRK Oslo).

Fornebubanen: 1 year behind and 3.7 billion at risk

The Fornebubanen project is accumulating bad news. The terminus station at the former Fornebu Airport will not be completed before 2030, a delay of 1 year. Costs are approaching the absolute ceiling of 31.2 billion kroner. The 3.7 billion reserve is being absorbed, NRK Oslo reports, citing Finansavisen on the initial revelation. Oslo’s transport representatives were informed last week by Fornebubanen director Irene Måsøval and the city councillor responsible for the environment and transport, Marit Vea (V).

The problems mainly concern the final section of the route at Fornebu, where the terminus, a depot and a stabling facility for 28 trainsets are to be built. These difficulties have been known for a year. The schedule is slipping and the financial margin is shrinking. These Oslo news items weigh on a strategic project for the western part of the city, which is expected to improve connections to the centre and ease pressure on the roads.

For residents, the postponement means years of additional waiting. For public finances, the question is whether the budget will be revised again. No decision has been announced on any potential additional cost overrun. The matter remains under the scrutiny of Oslo County’s elected representatives (NRK Oslo).

Weather: snow is arriving in Oslo county

A snow warning has been extended to Oslo and large parts of Østlandet. Between 5 and 15 centimetres of snow are expected from Thursday 12 November in the morning, according to duty meteorologist Ingrid Bentsen. The warning covers Akershus, Oslo, Østfold, Vestfold, lower Buskerud and southern Innlandet. The heaviest snowfall is expected between Oslo and Hamar, as well as in mountainous areas. Near the Oslofjord, some of the precipitation may fall as sleet (NRK Oslo).

The first snowy episode is arriving quickly. Gunnar Dovland, an operator at the Vegtrafikksentralen Øst traffic control centre, is urging drivers to slow down and keep a safe distance. “It quickly becomes congested on days like that if someone skids off the road or causes a collision,” he says. The aim, he says, is to avoid collisions between vehicles on Thursday. Aftenposten, in an article published on Thursday 12 November at 04h, reports that snow reached Vestlandet overnight and that Østlandet is now affected (Aftenposten). The Local Norway also reports that snow is expected to reach Oslo (The Local Norway).

Nationaltheatret: a temporary move to Tøyen

The government announced on Tuesday that Nationaltheatret will be renovated and that its productions will be temporarily moved to the former Munch Museum at Tøyen. Culture Minister Lubna Jaffery (Ap) believes that the building, the site and the neighbourhood are particularly well suited. Once the work is completed, the current building at Johanne Dybwads plass will house the main stage, while Malersalen and Amfiscenen will be permanently relocated to Tøyen. The City of Oslo is selling the former Munch building to the state for 111 million kroner (NRK Oslo).

The decision advances a cultural issue that has been debated for years. It reorganises the capital’s theatrical geography and strengthens Tøyen as a cultural hub. The work and the precise timetable remain to be confirmed. The political compromise ends a long-running dispute over the future of Nationaltheatret and the use of the former Munch (NRK Oslo).

📌 Local briefs

A man was found injured in the arm outside a shop in Oslo. The injuries are not considered serious. Two people have been arrested and police are continuing to conduct interviews (NRK Oslo).

Sources: NRK Oslo, Aftenposten, The Local Norway — Period: 11 November 2026 and 12 November 2026