Scope of Services: Heritage Impact Assessment for ,

22.10.2019 KNUTSEN, MARIANNE

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Contents 1. Introduction ...... 3 2. Background ...... 4 2.1 Short introduction to Bryggen in Bergen...... 4 2.2 Bryggen in Bergen – a World Heritage Site ...... 5 2.3 The Norwegian Cultural Heritage Management system and National Legislation ...... 9 2.4 Management and ownership of Bryggen ...... 10 2.5 Current situation, threats and challenges to the heritage site ...... 11 3. The Development Project - Bybanen ...... 15 3.1 Planning for Bybanen to Åsane: process and status ...... 16 3.2 Baseline scenario for the HIA ...... 21 3.3 Stakeholders ...... 22 4. Description of Delivery ...... 23 4.1 Description of Work Phase 1 ...... 23 4.2 Description of Work Phase 2 ...... 24 4.3 Required expertise and resources ...... 25 4.4 Budget ...... 25 4.5 Impartiality ...... 25 5. Preliminary Implementation Schedule ...... 25 6. About the Contracting Entity ...... 26 7. Communication and practicalities ...... 26 Attachments ...... 26

Cover photo Roberto Armocida, 2019

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1. Introduction

The City of Bergen is issuing a Request for Proposals regarding the preparation of a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) for the World Heritage site Bryggen, in Bergen, . The purpose of the HIA is to provide an independent assessment of the impact of the proposed extension of the light rail network (Bybanen) on the Outstanding Universal Value of the World Heritage site Bryggen.

The approved location of the light rail extension lies in proximity to the world heritage site Bryggen, outside the World Heritage Site (WHS), and within an area that will be part of a buffer zone. The Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) will evaluate the potential impacts, contextually, morphologically and visually, beneficial and adverse, of the proposed plans for the light rail extension on this WHS.

The main issue to be answered is:

Whether the Light Rail extension project is compatible with the World Heritage site of Bryggen, and to what extent the outstanding universal values are threatened by the project.

The Heritage Impact Assessment will evaluate the cumulative and total effects of the project on the heritage assets Outstanding Universal Values (OUV), and provide recommendations to avoid, reduce, or compensate for negative impacts (mitigation measures), and recommendations on how to possibly amplify positive impacts. (A detailed description of the work including deliverables is included in Section 4 of this document.)

The City Planning and Building Agency is currently preparing the draft plans for the northward extension of Bybanen. The first phase of planning work (the “preliminary draft phase”) will be completed in early 2020. This phase will provide the groundwork for the detailed planning in phase 2, when the draft regulatory plans will be prepared. Phase 2 work will include zoning provisions and preliminary technical design requirements for the line and for adjacent public spaces. These plans are expected to be submitted to the Council and to public hearing at year-end 2021.

The HIA will be delivered in two phases, where fase 2 is on option:

Phase 1: An assessment of preliminary draft plans and conclusions for Bybanen (preliminary draft phase). The phase 1 HIA report is to be completed by March 2020.

Phase 2: An assessment of the draft regulatory plans prepared for submission to Council/ public hearing. The anticipated date for completion of the phase 2 HIA report is autumn 2021.

The HIA is to be prepared in accordance with ICOMOS Guidance on Heritage Impact Assessment for Cultural World Heritage Properties (2011), possibly with the latest amendments, and applicable Norwegian planning legislation (“plan- og bygningsloven”) and regulations (“Forskrift om konsekvensutredninger”).

It is important for the acceptance of the result that the work is carried out by a neutral, multidisciplinary team consisting of members unconnected with the previous work related to stakeholders.

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2. Background

2.1 Short introduction to Bryggen in Bergen Bryggen, the old wharf of Bergen, is a reminder of the town’s importance as part of the ’s trading empire from the 14th to the mid-16th century.

Bergen, one of North ’s oldest port cities on the west coast of Norway, was established as a centre for trade by the 12th century. In 1350 the Hanseatic League established the “Hanseatic Office” in Bergen. The Hanseatic merchants gradually acquired ownership of Bryggen – the harbour area - and controlled the trade in stockfish from through privileges granted by the Norwegian king. The in Bergen was one of four Hanseatic : , , Novgorod, Bergen, -Bryggen in Bergen being the only one where building structures are preserved.

Bryggen has been damaged by several fires through the centuries and has been rebuilt after every fire, closely following the previous property structure and plan as well as building techniques. Bryggen’s appearance today stems from the time after the fire in 1702. The buildings are made of wood in keeping with vernacular building traditions. The original compact medieval urban structure is preserved with its long narrow rows of buildings facing the harbour. Although the Hanseatic merchants came to be owners of the houses in the Bryggen tenements, they never attained ownership to the tenement plots, which belonged to landed estates controlled either by Norwegian magnates or ecclesiastical institutions throughout the Hanseatic period. Large parts of this plot ownership structure have survived to the present. Some 62 buildings remain of this former townscape, and these contain sufficient elements to demonstrate how this society of Hanseatic merchants lived and worked.

Another important part of the World Heritage Site is the cultural layers underneath the building structures. The cultural layers contain evidence from the City’s long history. According to the sagas Bergen was founded in 1070 and bear witness of how the Bryggen structures have expanded by filling and extending the timber bulwark step by step out in the harbour. As a result, Vågen is smaller today than it was in the medieval times, and the quay front has been modified to adapt to modern ship technology.

The southern part of the original Bryggen structures was demolished around 1900 and the new modern Bryggen tenements with shops, offices and housing were erected as warehouses. Only half of the southernmost tenement Finnegården “Bryggen gård” was conserved. The new stone quay front was established in 1920, in front of the preserved section og Bryggen. After a big fire in 1955 which destroyed approximately one third of the northern half of Bryggen, a thirteen-year long archaeological excavation followed. The excavation provided important evidence from the city’s long history and has also been a source of knowledge for local, national and international history.

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Figure 1. To the left: Historical Photo ca 1870 showing the whole extent of the original Bryggen structures. To the right: today’s situation. Photo: Byantikvaren i Bergen.

2.2 Bryggen in Bergen – a World Heritage Site

Bryggen in Bergen was included on the World Heritage List as Cultural Heritage at the third session of the Committee in 1979 (CONF 003 XII.46) as site number 59 on the list. Bryggen was listed under criteria iii:

“be unique, extremely rare, or of great antiquity.” (Criterium iii, 1977)

As this was a very early inscription, it was not followed by clearly formulated descriptions of integrity and authenticity. These were formulated as retrospective in 2013 under 37COM 8E.

Due to uncertainty related to the site boundaries of the old warehouse structures housing the Hanseatic Museum and the cultural layers underneath the standing structures, the boundaries were clarified and adjusted in 2006 under 30COM 11A.a.

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Figure 2. The World Heritage Site Bryggen.

Figure 3. Location on the north side of Vågen.

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Criteria (as inscribed in 1979) The outstanding universal value of Bryggen as adopted by the World Heritage Committee at the time of inscription (after criterium iii):

Bryggen bears the traces of social organization and illustrates the use of space in a

quarter of hanseatic merchants that dates back to the 14th century. It is a type of northern “fondaco”, unequalled in the world, where the structures have remained within the cityscape and perpetuate the memory of one of the oldest large trading ports of Northern Europe.

Integrity (as stated in 2013) Only around a quarter of the original buildings that existed in Bryggen remained after demolitions at the turn of the 19th century and several fires in the 1950s; the property is comprised of these remaining buildings. Notwithstanding, the medieval urban structure is maintained and the buildings include all elements necessary to demonstrate how Bryggen functioned: offices and dwellings at the front, warehouses in the midsection and assembly rooms (“Schøtstuer”), kitchen facilities and fireproof stone cellars at the back. Bryggen can be experienced as an entity within a larger harmonious urban landscape. It is connected more closely to the areas of small wooden dwellings beyond Bryggen and in the medieval city center than to the larger 20th century buildings in its close proximity. The risk of fire, excessive numbers of visitors as well as global climate changes with more extreme weather and possibly higher sea levels are some of the potential risks Bryggen faces today. Authenticity (as stated in 2013) The Hanseatic period at Bryggen ended long ago, but the Hanseatic heritage, documented through buildings, archives and artefacts, is well preserved for posterity. There are also series of architectural surveys of the buildings from 1900 onwards.

The preservation of the buildings commenced on a larger scale in the 1960s and had made major progress by 1979, the year of inscription on the World Heritage List. Some buildings at the back were moved in 1965 to create an open area for fire emergencies, but no further changes have been made to the urban structure since. The solutions and methods chosen have been well documented, and limiting the replacement of original materials has been an objective. Built of wood, Bryggen is subject to rot, insect attack and ageing. Since 2000, there has been an increased focus on maintaining original methods and building materials in the restoration, with careful consideration given to the choice of material, paint, plugs, nails, etc. and the use of original tools as far as possible.

As the activity at Bryggen decreased after 1900, the buildings became derelict. However, from the 1960s the former trading in stockfish and commodities was gradually replaced by small arts and crafts businesses. An increase in the number of visitors has led to the establishment of restaurants and tourist businesses. This has resulted in inevitable changes in the spirit of the place, particularly along the front facades, whereas the atmosphere of the Hanseatic period can still be sensed in the more secluded area further back.

Boundaries The boundaries of the site as inscribed define a serial property constituted of two components. The components are of the same structure, history and value, but are separated physically in distance, representing parts of a former more extensive structure. The inscribed area is limited to the built structures, the narrow passages and the gardens in the back. Elements including St. Mary’s Church (The German Church),

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the ruins of the first City Hall, the quay in front of Bryggen, and the nearby reconstructed collection of the original Assembly buildings (“Schøtstuene”) are all not included within the site boundaries.

Buffer zone Following up on the State of Conservation report completed in 1994 and on initiative from The Cultural Heritage Directorate, The Municipality of Bergen started the work on a protection plan for the area around Vågen, with the main goal of developing a protection plan that could function as a buffer zone to the world heritage site. (See figure 5.) The zoning plan for Vågen, kaiene and Bryggen was adopted by Bergen City council in 2006 and was also included and approved in the Management plan for the site ( fylkeskommune 2006).

The Norwegian Cultural Heritage Directorate presented the area covered by this protection plan to the World Heritage Committee this year (2019) in Baku to be adopted as the formal buffer zone. In accordance with the ICOMOS recommendations, the proposed buffer zone for Bryggen was referred back to the State Party in order to allow it to extend the buffer zone to include a wider area in the northeast part of the property. ICOMOS also recommend that a Heritage Impact Assessment is undertaken to assess the potential impact of the planned City rail on Bryggen’s OUV. (Decision: 43 COM 8B.47)

Attributes Some of the main aspects which convey or express the Outstanding Universal Value of the World Heritage Site of Bryggen are:

• Port City • Hanseatic cultural tradition • The medieval building tradition • The function of the harbour • The cityscape

These attributes are under review and will be updated in the ongoing revision of the Management Plan. In accordance with the Guidance on Heritage Impact Assessment, the updated attributes will be an important basis for the Heritage Impact assessment evaluations.

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Figure 4. Map showing listed buildings and the part of the city centre where the cultural layers are protected, in accordance with the National Cultural Heritage Act. To the right, illustration of the adopted protection plan. Source: Bergenskart.no

2.3 The Norwegian Cultural Heritage Management system and National Legislation

The World Heritage sites in Norway have no formal specific legislation, but all sites are under the protection of the National Heritage Act.

The Norwegian management system concerning cultural heritage in general works on three levels; national, regional and local.

• At the national level, the Directorate for Cultural Heritage is a government agency under the Ministry of Climate and Environment and plays an advisory role in the development of Norway’s cultural heritage policy. The Directorate is also responsible for management of the Cultural Heritage Act and the implementation of national cultural heritage policy.

The Directorate for Cultural Heritage has the right to file an official objection (innsigelse) to proposed plans that it considers to be contrary to national cultural interests.

• At the regional level, County municipalities are responsible for the management of cultural resources. The main tool for managing cultural resources at the regional level is the Cultural Heritage Act. Hordaland County is responsible for coordinating commentary from cultural authorities regarding proposed city plans, area plans and zoning plans. This includes commentary to proposed plans submitted by the Directorate for Cultural Heritage, and from agencies with delegated authority after the Cultural Heritage Act.

The County also has the right to file an official objection (innsigelse) to plans it considers to be contrary to regional interests. Additionally, as the coordinating authority, Hordaland County is responsible for forwarding any objection from the Directorate for Cultural Heritage to the local planning authority.

• At local level, many of the larger cities including Bergen have established a cultural heritage management office with expertise in the cultural heritage field (Byantikvaren). The main tool for managing cultural heritage at the local level is the Planning and Building Act.

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2.4 Management and ownership of Bryggen

Bryggen, including its cultural deposits, is listed pursuant to the Norwegian Cultural Heritage Act. Bryggen was listed in 1927 as one of the first objects in Norway (First Cultural Heritage Act 1920). The Cultural Heritage Act provides the strongest protection of the archaeological and built heritage in Norway.

Bryggen is also protected through the Norwegian Planning and Building Act. With the Planning and building Act, it is possible to define protected structures or environments and provide protection also using special consideration zones. A protection plan was adopted locally with the support of the government and the region in 2006 for the Vågen area.

All three administrative levels of cultural heritage management (municipality, county, national) are involved in the management of Bryggen and are represented in the recently formalised World Heritage Council. The World Heritage Council has the overall responsibility for the protection of the world heritage site in line with the guidelines for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention and the management plan for Bryggen. A Council of Specialists has been established as an advisory body to the World Heritage Council. A World Heritage Coordinator has been appointed as focal point for the WHS.

A management plan for the site was approved in 2006 (Hordaland fylkeskommune 2006). The Management plan for Bryggen is now under revision in order to meet current requirements. A draft revised plan is due to be completed by the end of 2019.

An important element in the management of Bryggen is “Project Bryggen”, a long-term project established in 2000 for monitoring, safeguarding and restoring Bryggen. A sprinkler and fire detection and alarm systems has been installed and is continually being improved. Challenges posed by climate change and tourism are to some extent monitored.

The archeological cultural layers on Bryggen make up a volume of approximately 100.000m3. These masses of cultural material are highly sensitive to changes in the groundwater. A groundwater project, financed by the Directorate for Cultural Heritage, was initiated in 2014 to monitor the water level and the chemistry in the soil. (See Report “Monitoring, Mitigation, Management, The Groundwater Project – Safeguarding the World Heritage Site of Bryggen in Bergen”, 2015.)

Bryggen is mainly privately owned and the Bryggen Foundation, established in 1962, owns most of the buildings. The remaining private owners have established a separate association to secure their interests. The Finnegården tenement, where the Hanseatic museum is located is owned by the Municipality of Bergen.

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2.5 Current situation, threats and challenges to the heritage site

Today, Bryggen is a significant part of the historic wooden city of Bergen, a major tourist attraction with a range of functions including offices, retail, galleries and restaurants.

The quay front has changed considerably since the traditional use of the site and the waterfront today is characterised by a larger stone quay. The stone quay in front of the preserved section of Bryggen was built in the early 1920’s and was completed in 1924.

Figure 5. Hydrological model showing the water-currents in relation to the various layers in the area. (http://prosjektbryggen.no/redningsaksjonen/vannet/hydrologisk-modell/

At the time of the inscription of Bryggen on the World Heritage List, the traffic system in front of Bryggen was different from today. The carriageway was much closer to the building structures, and two modern (1930- 40) waterfront shed (nr 9 and 10) were still in place on the quay.

Figure 6. Bryggen 1969, as it was at the time of inscription on the World Heritage list. Excavations are still ongoing. After the archaeological investigation and documentation, Bryggen Museum and the SAS Hotel was built on the fire plot. (Outside the WH limits)

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Figure 7. Bryggen at the time of inscription, orthophoto 1980.

In accordance with the Protection plan, the area in front of Bryggen was transformed to make more space directly in front of the Bryggen building facades, and traffic was in 2008 diverted out on the stone foundations.

Figure 8. Bryggen today, orthophoto 2016

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Traffic (current situation) The front-area of Bryggen is today characterized by high levels of pedestrian and vehicular traffic. The average annual daily traffic (AADT) measured in 2017 was 14,600 over Torget, and 9,300 over Bryggen.

There is no dedicated cycling facility over Torget or Bryggen, cyclists are directed to use traffic lanes, quay area, sidewalks or open spaces. To a certain extent these open spaces have large asphalt surfaces with safety elements and signage related to traffic. The wooden platforms indicate the location of the former quay structures and are presently used as open space and café areas.

In 2017, there were approximately 6,000 passenger boardings each day or the four bus stops at Torget. Skyss operates 12 bus lines along Bryggen. There are approximately 104 buses per hour in peak periods, and 1320 buses pass over Bryggen and Torget each day.

Øvregaten, the road behind Bryggen, has an AADT of 4,100 vehicles for the section directly behind Bryggen. Øvregaten functions as a relief road when Bryggen is closed for traffic. The amount of traffic on Øvregaten is significantly higher during these periods.

The establishment of a light rail line and bicycle route through this area will result in changes to the layout and design of the streetscape, as well as the traffic management system for the area around Bryggen. (See section 3 for further information on traffic planning.)

Tourism Bryggen is popular tourist attraction with ever- increasing levels of tourist traffic. Tourism increases pressure on the city in general and particularly on the wooden structures of Bryggen. Approximately 1.8 million people passed through the passages of Bryggen in 2018. A peak of 40,000 tourists per day was measured summer 2017. Bryggen Foundation reports that long queues, noise and littering are reducing the experience of the Bryggen atmosphere. The increasing number of visitors is causing considerable wear on the wooden structures. Tourist management initiatives such as entrance fees are being considered as a means to control the number of people entering the structures.

Changes in groundwater level Changing groundwater levels are a threat to the medieval cultural layers in the historic city center of Bergen. Over time, consistent groundwater levels have helped maintain foundational strength and a waterlogged oxygen-poor soil environment has preserved cultural artifacts from the thousand-year-old trading center. Both climate change and physical interventions such as building projects can cause changes to ground water levels. The construction of the SAS Hotel (now the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel Bergen) in the late 1970s beside the Bryggen World Heritage Site caused local groundwater to leak into the hotel construction site. A decline in the groundwater table by up to 2.5m and resulting decline in soil moisture content led to oxygen infiltration, accelerating the decay of underground cultural artifacts. A millennium of wooden timbers and artifacts buried underground from Bryggen’s past faced rapid deterioration. A noticeable visual effect from the loss of groundwater was the settling and sinking of the historic buildings.

In response to changing groundwater levels a system to replenish and manage the groundwater reservoir beneath parts of Bryggen has been established. Water collected primarily from rainfall on rooftops is distributed via pipes to maintain groundwater. Excess water is transported out to the city’s municipal drainage system. Sensors are used to track water levels. Dams and manholes allow the groundwater to be adjusted in sections beneath Bryggen. Rain gardens provide delayed infiltration into the groundwater table. Preliminary results from the measurements the recent years indicates that the decay in NE parts of Bryggen is levelling off.

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Urban development and changes to the built environment There is ongoing pressure for urban development in the proximity of Bryggen. The Cultural Heritage Management bodies closely monitor any development that may have visual impact on the World Heritage property.

Climate change Climate change is a key issue and measures has been taken to prepare for future changes. Rising sea levels, flooding and extreme weather present short- and long-term challenges to the conservation of the wooden structures. Work on the restoration of foundations and buildings located along the front, central parts and upper parts of Bryggen is now underway. In the period 2000-2019 five of eleven front building has been restored. The increased elevation of the restored foundations provides a beneficial, albeit limited, effect with respect to the impacts of climate change.

Bybanen The establishment of Bybanen in the vicinity of Bryggen is seen by several stakeholders, including the County Heritage Council and by the Directorate for Cultural Heritage, as a potential threat to the OUV of the World heritage site. Potential negative effects that have been identified include compromised visual integrity of the property, creation of a barrier between Bryggen and Vågen, impacts on cultural artifacts below the surface, and the visual and physical impacts of light rail traffic through this area. These potential impacts are more fully described in the impact assessments completed in 2013 and in the submissions from cultural management authorities respecting the impact assessments, the route selection, and the start-up of planning work on the northward extension (see section 3.1 below).

Figure 9. Bryggen in context, seen from Strandkaien. Photo Roberto Armocida, 2019

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3. The Bergen Light Rail Development Project - Bybanen

Bybanen is built, maintained and operated by the regional government (Hordaland County), through its subsidiaries Bybanen AS, Bybanen Utbygging and Skyss. Bybanen AS has contracted Keolis AS for daily operation of Bybanen.

The City of Bergen is responsible for planning of Bybanen and Bergen City council is the authority for adoption of zoning- and land use plans related to Bybanen, including routing of future extensions to the system.

Bybanen’s role in the transportation system Bybanen functions as the backbone of the city’s public transportation system. Since opening in 2010 Bybanen has played an increasingly important role in the transit system. Bybanen carried 14.9 million passengers in 2018. Bybanen is an important element in the city’s strategy to prioritize walking, cycling and public transit over automobile-based transport.

Coupled with other traffic reducing strategies, Bybanen has contributed to an overall reduction in car traffic. A central element in planning for Bybanen is a further reduction in through traffic in the downtown area. City Council’s adoption of the routing for Bybanen also includes a resolution that Bryggen is to be car-free. The ongoing planning work will investigate how this can best be achieved.

Operating lines and future extensions to the system The first three building phases of Bybanen operate today between downtown and the airport. This line is approximately 20 km long and has 27 stations. Phase 4 from downtown west to is currently under construction and is planned to be in operation in 2022-23. Phase 4 is 9km long and will have 8 new stations.

The map below illustrates the operating line between Byparken and the airport, the phase 4 line to Fyllingsdalen Terminal which is currently under construction, and the planned phase 5 line from downtown to Åsane (Vågsbotn).

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Figure 10. The Bybanen light rail network, phases 1 to 5.

3.1 Planning for Bybanen to Åsane: process and status

After several years of discussions, Bergen City Council approved the complete routing for the proposed Phase 5 northward extension of Bybanen in January 2018.

The proposed phase 5 line is approximately 12.5 km long with 13 stations. The City Planning and Building Agency is currently preparing the draft regulatory plans for the extension. Phase 5 also includes planning of a main bicycle route between downtown and Åsane.

Planning for Bybanen is led by City of Bergen Agency for Planning and Building. Consulting services from Norconsult AS together with Asplan Viak AS have been retained to prepare the zoning plans (reguleringsplan) and preliminary technical design (teknisk forprosjekt). The planning process is split up into two main phases:

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• Preliminary draft phase (2019 – spring 2020). In this phase options for the precise location of stations and trackage along the adopted routing will be evaluated. Alternative solutions for the traffic system and cycling facility will be articulated and evaluated. This phase will conclude with a draft summary report which will provide the basis for further detailed planning and design work in Phase 2. The report will also contain recommendations for the traffic network within the planning area.

• Zoning phase (spring 2019 – 2021): In this phase of the planning work the zoning plans and accompanying preliminary technical design will be prepared. These plans will then be sent to the City Government (byrådet) for consideration and referral to Public Hearing. After the Public Hearing period has closed, the plans will be adjusted as necessary before being sent to City Council for consideration and adoption. In this phase, the draft plan documents and preliminary technical design will include elements that will be directly relevant for the HIA, as detailed in section 4 of this document.

Consultation with stakeholders has been and will be ongoing throughout the planning process. Public hearings have previously been held with respect to the 2environmental assessments (2012) and start-up of the planning process (2018). Input received through these public hearings forms part of the background material to be consulted in the preparation of the HIA. A further public hearing will be held toward the conclusion of the zoning phase described above. All relevant input received through the planning process will form part of the background material to be considered when both phases of the HIA are being prepared.

The Bybanen line is divided into four separate sections, each with its own zoning plan and preliminary technical design: • Section 1 downtown (this is the section that is relevant for the Heritage Impact Assessment) • Section 2 Sandviken • Section 3 Eidsvåg • Section 4 Åsane

The project also includes zoning plans and preliminary technical design for: • a bicycle route through inner Sandviken, from Bradbenken (just north of Bryggen) to Munkebotn • the extension of the existing Fløyfjells tunnel (road tunnel) from Sandviken to Eidsvåg.

Description of Section 1 through the downtown The adopted routing for Bybanen through the downtown and proposed location of stations is shown in the map under (red line). The extension will connect to the existing line in Kaigaten adjacent to the City Hall and courthouse. A new permanent station will be established at this location, replacing the existing stop at Byparken and the temporary stop in Kaigaten that is to be built in conjunction with Phase 4. From Kaigaten, the line extends to the north via Christies gate and Småstrandgaten to the next station at Torget. The line extends further along Bryggen, Slottsgaten to the next station located in Sandbrogaten. From there the line extends northward to Sandviken in a tunnel (dashed red line).

The proposed routing for the cycling facility through the downtown core is illustrated with the blue line in the map under. The location and type of cycling facility (separate lane, path or in mixed traffic) will be determined through the ongoing planning process.

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Figure 11. Bybanen to Åsane, section 1 from: Kaigaten – Sandbrogaten. (source: Planning report 201807496/02. Bybanen shown in red, cycle route in blue.

The ongoing planning work for Bybanen in section 1 involves a wide range of themes. The following are particularly relevant for the Heritage Impact Assessment:

• Design of public spaces (see “design and programming of Torget and Bryggen” later in this section) • The detailed location of the tracks, stations/platforms along the adopted routing • Alternatives for providing power, including with or without overhead catenary system • Solutions for traffic (see “Traffic planning in the area” later in this section) • Underground infrastructure: relocation/ upgrading of existing underground infrastructure, new infrastructure requirements • Sea level rise/ flooding: establishing an elevation for the tracks and other equipment that meets accepted risk criteria • Requirements in the construction phase (space requirements for construction activities, temporary changes to access, temporary changes to traffic patterns, etc.)

The scope of work for each of these themes is described in the report “Bybanen fra sentrum til Åsane. Oppstart av reguleringsplanarbeid”.

All necessary information and documentation completed or ongoing, that required for the Heritage Impact Assessment will be provided to the Consultant.

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Previous Impact Assessments Before City Council’s adoption of the routing for northward LRT extension, an extensive Impact Assessment (“konsekvensutredning”) was carried out in 2013. This Impact Assessment, together with follow-up assessments also completed in 2013, formed the basis for route selection adopted by City Council.

Due to geographical and topological constraints, the establishment of a light rail line through the city centre is a major challenge. In the downtown area three main alternatives were evaluated: one surface alternative and two tunnel alternatives (see map under):

Figure 12. Three alternative routes through the downtown area evaluated in the 2013 assessment. Solid lines represent surface LRT, dashed lines represent underground routing (tunnel).

Both surface and tunnel alternatives in the downtown area present challenges with respect to their potential impact on cultural resources. The potential impact of these alternative routes on cultural resources has been described in detail in the 2013 impact assessments, in planning reports from the City of Bergen, and in submissions received from the cultural management authorities. All of these are relevant background materials to be consulted in the preparation of the Heritage Impact Assessment.

City Council and City Government proceedings regarding route selection – background City Council (bystyret) and the City Government (byrådet) have considered the routing for Bybanen sentrum – Åsane several times. Based on the assessment done in 2013, alternative 1Aa was recommended by the Consultants and the planning department. However, in June 2014 City Council adopted a new alternative that had not been fully assessed and that none of the cultural heritage management bodies recommended (meeting date 17. June 2014, agenda item 137/14). The adopted line included a tunnel opening between Kjøttbasaren and Finnegården (The Hanseatic Museum). In November 2014 the City Government resolved that planning work on the extension to Åsane be put on hold (meeting date 18. November 2014, agenda item 1443/14), and that planning work on the westward extension to Fyllingsdalen (phase 4) was prioritized. In April 2016 City Council formally repealed its June 2014 routing decision for downtown and adopted alternative 1Aa for the downtown area. At the same meeting Council also requested that a new alternative routing for

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Sandviken be evaluated (meeting date 20. April 2016, agenda item 88/16). In 2018, the route selection for Sandviken was considered and adopted, and Council directed start-up of planning for Phase 5 sentrum-Åsane (meeting date 31. January, agenda item 19/18). (Links to the Council and City Government agenda items regarding route selection and start-up of planning work are included under “Attachments” at the end of this document.)

The approval of the alternative 1Aa was contrary to the advice of the regional and national level cultural heritage management authorities, both of which advised selection of the tunnel alternative 2Ab (see text under). The municipality’s local cultural heritage management (Byantikvaren) considered alternative 1Aa to be the best option with respect to cultural heritage.

Requirements from the Directorate for Cultural Heritage (Riksantikvaren) and Hordaland County (fylkeskonservator) The Directorate for Cultural Heritage in its 2013 public hearing submission to impact assessment stated that while the two tunnel alternatives 2Aa and 2Ab are conflict with high-value cultural resources, acceptable solutions could be achieved and advised the City of Bergen to select a tunnel route for Bybanen through the downtown area. Furthermore, the Directorate set forth a requirement that the issues below must be addressed in the further planning process for Bybanen if the routing over Bryggen was selected.

The 31.10.2013 County Council resolution regarding route selection included the following with respect to area A (downtown):

• The removal of the greater part of regular vehicular traffic over Bryggen • That no fencing or other physical barriers be established over Torget and Bryggen • An acceptable solution for catenary system (power supply for Bybanen)

The County Council requests the consideration of measures mitigating barrier effect through:

• Battery or other energy source over Torget and Bryggen, • A plan and design competition for Torget and Bryggen with focus on roadway surfaces, lighting and overhead wiring • A reduction of barrier effect in the form of elevation of the Bybanen rail tracks • Increased separation between the Bybanen rail tracks and Finnegården.

The County Board considers as important the implementation of measures to alleviate:

• Traffic that can cause delays and increased travel times for Bybanen • The level of traffic for the cultural environment of downtown and Sandviken • The level of traffic for residents of downtown and Sandviken.

If the aggregate mitigation measures for a surface route are not considered to be sufficient to protect national and international cultural values, it may be appropriate to consider an official objection to the surface route through downtown.

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In addition to the points included in the County resolution, the Directorate expressed concern regarding the possible consequences for the cultural layers in Vågsbunnen and Sandbrogaten. The Directorate also indicated that increased traffic in Øvregaten (as a consequence of redirecting traffic from Bryggen) would not be acceptable.

Design and programming of Torget and Bryggen City Council’s resolution on the route selection for Bybanen included a requirement for a planning and design competition for the area comprising the urban spaces Torget – Vetrlidsallmenning – Finnegården – Bryggen. The City of Bergen via the City Architect and the Agency for Planning and Building Services administered the competition. The winner was announced on July 5, 2019. The winning team will assume an advisory role regarding the design of the urban spaces, including materials, lighting and street furniture. The extent to which these design elements are incorporated into the zoning plans for Bybanen or into other plans/projects will be determined as the planning work progresses.

It will be important that the design plans for Torget-Vetrlidsallmenning-Finnegården-Bryggen strengthen the heritage aspects related to Bryggen’s world heritage status. (See attachment 2 for additional background information on the cultural heritage considerations for the competition.)

Traffic planning in the area To ensure Bybanen’s accessibility and regularity, vehicular traffic will be re-routed and reduced through the downtown area. As part of the long-term solution for traffic downtown, City Council has resolved that the area in front of Bryggen will be car-free. Traffic assessments recommend a package of measures which are the basis for further planning work.

Within the Torget-Bryggen area this package of measures includes the following:

• Car-free over Bryggen, with no through traffic for private vehicles. Bybanen and a bicycle route shall be established here.

• Vehicular traffic over Torget is permitted, with one lane in each direction. The goal is to reduce traffic to 8- 10,000 vehicles per day. This solution will be in place until a vehicular tunnel or other measures are established in phase 2.

• Kong Oscars gate is closed for through traffic.

• Nygaten, Allehelgensgate, Christies gate and Småstrandgaten are closed for through traffic. Transit, cycling and pedestrians are prioritized.

• Goods delivery and access to properties will be secured, also in car-free areas. If Nikolaikirkeallmenningen is closed for traffic, then another solution for access will need to be found.

• Measures to reduce through traffic in Sandviken and downtown will be introduced.

The future traffic picture will also need to take into account the ongoing work on the Area Plan for Bergen West, which is looking at long term public transit options to connect Bergen West with the downtown.

3.2 Baseline scenario for the HIA

Establishing the baseline scenario for the HIA is an important first step in the assessment process. This baseline serves as a primary point of comparison for assessing the potential impact of the proposed change

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(Bybanen). Generally, the baseline scenario for the HIA will be the current conditions together with previously approved plans. The updated attributes of Outstanding Universal Value (see page 8) will also form part of the baseline data. The details of the baseline scenario will be confirmed by the City of Bergen, the Consultant and the regional and national cultural authorities at the start-up of work on the Heritage Impact Assessment.

3.3 Stakeholders

The relevant stakeholders, including areas of responsibility and/ or role are summarized under:

Cultural authorities:

Directorate for Cultural Heritage: Responsible for Cultural heritage management including cultural world heritage in Norway.

Hordaland County Council: Regional planning authority, regional public transit authority, responsible for cultural heritage management.

Bergen Sjøfartsmuseum: has delegated authority for cultural artefacts in the sea and in waterways.

Local Planning authority:

The City of Bergen: Local planning authority, local cultural heritage adviser, part owner of the World Heritage site. As planning authority, the City is responsible for consultation with other agencies and authorities beyond the cultural authorities listed over, for example the National Roads Authority (Statens vegvesen) and the Harbour Authority (Havnevesenet).

Advisory bodies, organisations, interest groups:

World Heritage Council, Bryggen (Verdensarvrådet for Bryggen): political council for the World Heritage Site Bryggen.

Bryggen Foundation, (Stiftelsen Bryggen): A foundation responsible for conservation, maintenance and restoration activities in consultation with the antiquarian bodies. Stiftelsen Bryggen is the largest owner at Bryggen. It owns 38 of Bryggen's 61 buildings.

Private owners at Bryggen (Bryggen Private Gårdeierforening): other private owners at Bryggen.

City museum of Bergen (Bymuseet i Bergen): museum with an archaeological collection, presenting the history prior to the existing buildings.

Museum Vest, The Hanseatic Museum: A museum presenting the history of the Hanseatic period in Bergen.

Friends of Bryggen (Bryggens venner): a public association with focus on the preservation of Bryggen, and educational activities including dissemination of information about Bryggen.

A Council of Specialists (“fagrådet for Bryggen”) has been established as an advisory body to the World Heritage Council. Representatives from this council have been asked to provide comment on this document and will be involved in the further process with the HIA.

The above-noted stakeholders have submitted commentary to the ongoing planning work and to the public hearings regarding route selection and start-up of planning work. The HIA consultation process must include consultation with the above-noted stakeholders.

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4. Description of Delivery

The Consultant’s scope of work is to prepare a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) report for the Bergen Light Rail Development Project. The work is to be carried out in accordance with the latest International ICOMOS Guidance on Heritage Impact Assessments for Cultural World Heritage properties, and applicable Norwegian planning legislation and regulations (Plan- og bygningsloven, Forskrift om konsekvensutredninger). The HIA will be delivered in two phases.

4.1 Description of Work Phase 1

Phase 1 is a preliminary assessment and evaluation of the overall impact of the proposed project (Bybanen) on the world heritage site Bryggen.

At the start of phase 1, a scoping report will be developed in accordance with the latest ICOMOS- guidelines. The extents of the study area will be determined at this stage, and a detailed consultation plan will be prepared.

The phase 1 report will:

• provide a preliminary assessment of the planned light rail project`s impact with the World Heritage site of Bryggen, and the extent to which the outstanding universal values might be influenced by the project.

• identify and assess the effects of the light rail project on the cultural World Heritage object attributes, with focus on those attributes which form the basis of Bryggen’s OUV status. This includes an assessment of the cumulative and total effects of the light rail project on the heritage asset.

• include recommendations to avoid, reduce, or compensate for impacts (mitigation measures), and recommendations on how to possibly amplify positive impacts.

Phase 1 Deliverable: Phase 1 Heritage Impact Assessment report.

Sources and documents that will be made available:

• The adopted routing for Bybanen section 1 through the study area, including a new traffic network system • The Environmental Assessment and additional Assessments from 2013 («Konsekvensutredning og tilleggsutredninger»), including comments received during the public hearing process • Plan- and design competition for Torget-Bryggen • The Planning report on the start-up of planning for Bybanen Phase 5 Bergen downtown-Åsane, including comments received during the public hearing process

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• The zoning plan for Vågen, kaiene and Bryggen (2006) • The management plan for Bryggen (Hordaland fylkeskommune 2006), draft new management plan (2019) • Ongoing/current planning work with Bybanen, including alternative solutions that have been developed in conjunction with the first phase of planning • Ongoing work related to the preparation of the Area Plan for the public transit system Bergen Sentrum - Bergen West (“kommunedelplan kollektivsystemet mellom Bergen sentrum og Bergen vest”).

Other documents that provide background for the HIA assessment include: • The bicycle strategy of Bergen • The adopted City Plan for Bergen (“kommuneplan”) • Historical documents/ information regarding Bryggen

4.2 Description of Work Phase 2

The work on Fase 2 is optional in the case the work with the Plan proposal is carried out. The Heritage Impact Assessment Phase 2 will provide an assessment of the Draft Plan proposal on the World Heritage site.

The Phase 2 assessment will be based upon:

• the Phase 1 HIA report • all relevant reports, documents and analyses prepared in conjunction with the proposed zoning plan and preliminary technical design. • the draft plan, comprising the proposed zoning plan (reguleringsplan) and preliminary technical design (teknisk forprosjekt) for Bybanen section 1 (downtown).

The elements of the draft plan to be evaluated in the HIA includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Planning policies for the design of Bybanen including all its public space and infrastructure elements (planbestemmelser) • Planning policies for the design of public spaces (planbestemmelser) • Zoning land use plan (plankart) • Solutions for vehicular traffic, goods delivery, bus traffic and bicycle traffic • Solutions for relocation and/or replacement of underground infrastructure • Establishment of the elevation of Bybanen’s infrastructure elements (rail and other technical installations) with regard to sea level rise. • Phasing plan for construction works (over ground and underground) • Power supply solutions for Bybanen (battery, overhead catenary)

The precise scope of work for Phase 2 will be clarified with the HIA team before work begins on Phase 2.

Phase 2 Deliverable: Phase 2 Heritage Impact Assessment Report.

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4.3 Required expertise and resources

The HIA team must consist of a group of minimum three experts. The team can consist of experts from the same firm or from different firms. The group should have multidisciplinary competence.

The team must have experience with impact assessment of world heritage properties in a complex urban setting, including documented experience with use of ICOMOS-method for assessing impact on heritage assets (completed report).

Most existing background material is written in Norwegian. It is therefore essential that the HIA team include competence in the Norwegian language.

The offer/proposal should provide an overview/ summary of how the consultant proposes to carry out the HIA. This description should provide an overview of the proposed workplan, including process, timeline and resources for phase 1 and phase 2.

See tender documents (konkurransegrunnlag) for a description of all required information and for a description of the evaluation criteria (tildelingskriterier) for this competition.

4.4 Budget

The maximum budget for the HIA phase 1 and 2 is 1,4 million NOK (travel and accommodation costs are not included).

4.5 Impartiality

The experts must provide an impartial assessment. There can be no previous ties to stakeholders or other conflicts of interest.

5. Preliminary Implementation Schedule

ACTIVITY DATE Issue of RFP 18.10.2019 Deadline for submission of proposal 29.11.2019 Bid Evaluation 02.12.2019 Contract Award 04.12.2019 Standstill Period 16.12.2019 Signing of Contract 17.12.2019 Submission of HIA Report - Phase 1 31.03.2020 Submission of HIA Report - Phase 2 Autumn 2021 (tentative)

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6. About the Contracting Entity The contracting entity is the City of Bergen (Bergen kommune). The responsible agency is the Cultural Heritage Management Office (Byantikvaren), with support from the Agency for Planning and Building (Plan- og bygningsetaten). The project leader is Marianne Knutsen, the Cultural Heritage Management Office.

7. Communication and practicalities Communication between the contracting parties can be carried out in Norwegian or English. All documents are to be delivered in English.

The City will administer an on-line web hosting service for document exchange and storage.

Office space will be made available.

Attachments 1. Guidance on Heritage Impact Assessments for Cultural World Heritage Properties. ICOMOS, January 2011 2. Vedlegg til Konkurranseprogram for plan- og designkonkurranse for området Torget-Bryggen: Kulturminnefaglige hensyn. Bergen kommune, 2018. 3. The Statement of Outstanding Universal Value for Bryggen. (link only) 4. Bybanen til Åsane. Trasévalg. (link only) 5. Bybanen til Åsane. Oppstart av reguleringsplanarbeid. (link only)

Additional information on Bybanen to Åsane is available at: https://miljøløftet.no/prosjektliste/kollektiv/bybanen-til-asane/

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