Preschool threatened as energy projects advance

The preschool in Gullbranna outside Halmstad may be closed next summer, and parents are protesting. At the same time, two major energy projects are being considered in the county: the solar panel farm in Bjärnared and a new hydroelectric power plant in Lagan. In Laholm, the electricity grid is too weak, according to Företagarna.

Preschool in Gullbranna may be closed – parents protest

The preschool in Gullbranna outside Halmstad may be closed in summer 2027, according to a proposal based on there being fewer children in the area. Today, 14 children attend the preschool. When the children who are currently 6 years old move on to school, 9 children will remain.

Parents have started a petition in protest and collected more than 300 signatures. The chair of the Children and Youth Committee says that “we do not see any queues forming for places in the services”. A committee is a political body within the municipality that makes decisions on matters such as preschool and school. A decision on any possible closure will be made on 18 November. SVT Nyheter Halland

Large solar power plant approved – neighbours are appealing

The solar power plant in Bjärnared is planned on 150 hectares of land in Bjärnared and Slättåkra, on the border between Halmstad and Falkenberg. According to the industry organisation Green power Sweden, it could become the largest in Halland and share first place in Sweden with a plant in Hultsfred. The facility is to have a capacity of 100 megawatts.

The County Administrative Board of Halland has approved the plant. The County Administrative Board is the state’s representative in the county and examines, among other things, environmental matters. Around 40 neighbours have appealed and point to noise, reduced access for hunting and outdoor recreation, threatened species, and risks to Sisån and the area’s peatland. The chair of the County Administrative Board’s environmental assessment delegation says that “if you neither hear nor see the plant, I think the impact will be fairly small”. The appeal will be examined by the Land and Environment Court in Vänersborg, a court that decides cases concerning land, the environment, and water. SVT Nyheter Halland SVT Nyheter Halland

Giant power plant in Lagan goes to court

Statkraft wants to replace three 100-year-old hydropower plants at Knäred with a new underground hydropower plant in Lagan. According to the company, it will be southern Sweden’s largest hydropower plant. Water from the Lagan will be diverted into a 3.6-kilometre-long tunnel. Construction is estimated to cost 1.8 billion kronor and take around 8 years.

The Vänersborg Land and Environment Court is now reviewing the application and has conducted a two-day site inspection, meaning a visit where the parties can show how they will be affected. Residents in the area are concerned about heavy traffic and the impact on wildlife. The court expects a verdict as early as spring 2027. SVT Nyheter Halland SVT Nyheter Halland

Företagarna: the electricity grid in Laholm is too weak

The electricity grid in Laholm is too weak, according to Företagarna Laholm. The association invited the electricity grid companies Södra Hallands Kraft and Eon to a meeting about capacity tariffs – a fee that makes it more expensive to use a lot of electricity at the same time. The tariff was introduced and then removed again, which according to Företagarna has created a crisis of trust.

According to Sydsvenska Handelskammaren, up to 200 000 jobs could be lost in southern Sweden by 2030 due to high electricity prices, and Företagarna warns that industries will instead end up in China. Svenska Kraftnät, the state-owned company responsible for the transmission grid, was invited but could not send any representative. According to Företagarna, Svenska Kraftnät is sitting on over 85 billion kronor in the so-called bottleneck fund. Laholms Tidning

Decisive match for Laholms FK – everything is settled on Saturday

On Saturday, Laholms FK plays its final match of the season in Division 1 at home against Skövde, while rival Eskilsminne faces Åtvidaberg. LFK must take more points than Eskilsminne to overtake them and secure a playoff spot.

The team is coming from a 2–1 defeat to division leaders Trelleborg and has question marks over its squad: a right-back will miss the match after a blow to the foot from the bench, one player is suspended and another is doubtful for selection. The match will be played on artificial turf instead of the main pitch because kick-off is at 15.00 and the main pitch has no floodlights. Laholms Tidning

The e-sports arena at Sannarpsgymnasiet is taking shape

Computers and screens with tournament-grade specifications are now in place at Sannarpsgymnasiet in Halmstad. The school is making an elite push into e-sports, opening its doors in autumn 2027 in collaboration with the Swedish E-sports Federation. An upper secondary school is a voluntary school for young people after compulsory school.

Halmstad municipality announced in June 2025 that it wanted to become Sweden’s new e-sports city. That autumn, the municipality applied to establish “Sweden’s first municipal e-sports arena” at the school. SVT Nyheter Halland

In brief

• The preschool Fyren in Skummeslöv has received a top rating for the third year in a row when the country's public meals were reviewed, sharing the title of the best food in the country with 10 other preschools. Laholms Tidning
• Sweden is sending the Patriot air defence system to eastern Poland in December, and around 100 people from the Air Defence Regiment Lv 6 in Halmstad will participate in the Nato mission. SVT Nyheter Halland
• The Social Democrats presented a shadow budget for Region Halland with investments totalling 127 million kronor, including free public transport for older people and young people. SVT Nyheter Halland
• The confectionery company Cocandy is buying all of Herrgårdstoppen in Markaryd municipality following the bankruptcy on 20 October. Laholms Tidning
• A dog bit a 10-year-old in the face in Kungsbacka municipality, and the father of the family is being prosecuted for causing bodily harm through negligence. SVT Nyheter Halland