Plans to relocate the US embassy in Oslo near a well-established residential area were met by noisy protests from neighbours.

Following September 11, the present US embassy in Oslo, Norway, does not meet the stricter requirements stipulated by the US authorities for their embassies.

Sverre Tiltnes Director of Skifte Eiendom.

After the September 11 terrorist attacks, the US government issued stricter regulations for their embassies worldwide. The relocation of the US embassy in Oslo, Norway, is a consequence of this as the building and location of the present embassy in the city-centre no longer satisfy the requirements. After some time searching for a new location, the US embassy chose a former military area within the city border, located near a well-established residential area.

DNV Consulting was asked by Skifte Eiendom, a unit within the Norwegian Armed Forces’ property company, to conduct a risk and vulnerability analysis of the local environment surrounding the possible site of the new embassy. The analysis was prompted by the sensitive nature of relocating what many consider a possible terrorist target to the middle of a neighbourhood.

“We wanted an independent third party to analyse the extent to which locating a US embassy here would lead to a reduction in the personal safety and quality of life of the embassy’s neighbours and other people who live near to or travel in the area around the embassy,” says director Sverre Tiltnes of Skifte Eiendom.

DNV Consulting used a risk-based approach in their work, and the analysis was based on the following aspects:

• Open areas
• Traffic
• Alienation
• Demonstrations
• Terrorist attacks

Quality of life. The report showed that the relocation of the embassy to the proposed site would lead to a moderate-to-slight reduction in the personal safety and quality of life of the embassy’s neighbours.

At the same time as DNV Consulting was given its task, Skifte Eiendom also asked the Norwegian Police Security Service to analyse security issues with regards to the new embassy. This report, however, is confidential.

The Oslo Municipality now has to decide whether or not the new embassy meets their requirements, and if there is going to be a sale of the property to the American government.