A Danish homeowner in Kalundborg waited an entire year for the municipality to respond to his construction application, only to find out he had never needed permission in the first place.
One Year of Waiting for Nothing
For more than a year, Pål Henning Hoel waited for Kalundborg Municipality to decide whether he could replace two windows on the first floor of his home with a small French balcony. Because his house was classified as historically valuable, he followed the rules carefully and submitted a building application. What he did not expect was to wait twelve months for a simple yes or no. When the answer finally came, he learned that he had never needed approval from the municipality at all.
Frustrated, he shared his story publicly. Many others commented that they had faced similar delays in their building cases. Some said they waited seven to ten months just to build a simple shed or start renovations.
Kalundborg Among Slowest Municipalities
Across Denmark, it takes an average of 58 days for citizens to receive a decision on a building application, according to data from Dansk Industri. In Kalundborg, that process takes an average of 124 days, making it one of the slowest municipalities in the country. The slow processing times have become a growing concern for many homeowners who feel stuck, unable to continue home projects while waiting for permission that sometimes isn’t even required.
On the national level, debates about local government efficiency, staffing, and bureaucracy are becoming more common ahead of the next municipal elections. These delays have fueled local criticism and pressure on city administrations to reform their planning and environmental departments.
Political Response to Long Delays
Members of the Technical and Environmental Committee in Kalundborg admit the long waiting periods are not acceptable. Both the committee chair and deputy chair have said that building applicants should expect fair and reasonable processing times. The municipality has already worked to hire more staff and claims average waiting times have now dropped from 124 days to around 70. Officials say they are determined to improve even further in 2025.
Still, for citizens like Hoel, patience has worn thin. His renovation plans were paused while he awaited a decision. Now, with the confusion cleared up, he can finally resume construction. According to him, it has been a long and unnecessary wait that could have been resolved almost immediately.
Citizens Question the Municipality’s Priorities
Some residents believe that local businesses receive faster service than private homeowners. They suspect that commercial projects take priority because they create jobs and drive economic growth in a municipality heavily influenced by major companies such as Novo Nordisk. This criticism echoes earlier discussions highlighted by regional media about whether the city gives too much attention to large corporate interests instead of ordinary residents. More about that debate can be read in this related report.
However, Kalundborg officials strongly deny any form of favoritism. They point out that the municipal construction department is divided into separate teams, with some processing commercial applications and others handling private home cases. According to them, these divisions operate independently, meaning businesses and individuals should experience equal treatment.
Frustration Across the Country
The issue of slow building case handling is not unique to Kalundborg. Many homeowners across Denmark have voiced similar complaints in recent years. Long bureaucratic processes, changes in national building codes, and staff shortages in municipal departments have all contributed to growing backlogs.
In fact, Danish homeowners increasingly use social media or local groups to share experiences about delays in their local administrations. Several such cases have been reported by outlets covering local society and public affairs, like TV 2’s national and regional news pages, which often document the public frustration about inefficiency in municipal systems.
Even though Kalundborg’s officials promise improvement, residents remain skeptical. For them, the problem is not just about waiting time but also about trust in the system. People want to know that bureaucratic decisions are made quickly and fairly, not buried in paperwork or delayed by unclear procedures.
For Hoel, at least, there’s now a sense of relief. Construction work has resumed, and he hopes to complete his home renovation before the holidays. Yet his experience continues to serve as a reminder of how simple municipal processes can become tangled for ordinary citizens.
Sources and References
https://nyheder.tv2.dk/samfund/2025-11-13-husejer-ventede-et-aar-paa-svar-han-ikke-behoevede
https://nyheder.tv2.dk/samfund
https://nyheder.tv2.dk/kommunalvalg
