The appeals are denied, and the building permit for the GGN track stands
THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD REJECTS THE APPEALS – THE BUILDING PERMIT FOR THE GGN TRACK STANDS!
On May 22, 2026, Nordic Sport & Event took a major step toward obtaining a building permit for the GGN track in Hejdeby.
Nordic Sport & Event, the organizer of the Gotland Grand National, was notified by the Stockholm County Administrative Board on February 18, 2026, that it was taking over the processing of the appeals in cases ref. no. 5306–2025 and ref. no. 148–2026.
The reason the Gotland County Administrative Board transferred the case to another county administrative board was due to both a lack of resources and the need for an external party to review the building permit decision issued by Region Gotland.
– At first, the decision came as a surprise, since we believed that the Gotland County Administrative Board had been working on the GGN project in Hejdeby since the fall of 2023 and that they should have been able to handle the appeal. But in hindsight, the road ahead is now even stronger for us, as the Stockholm County Administrative Board has thoroughly reviewed everything we’ve done since August 28, 2023, when we received the notice that we could no longer remain at the historic Tofta shooting range,” says Conny Bohlin, CEO of Nordic Sport & Events, in a press release.
On May 22, 2026, the Gotland County Administrative Board decided, in case no. 5306, to deny the appeal regarding the building permit for the GGN track.
The decision reads as follows: The Gotland County Administrative Board denies the appeal.
“The Stockholm County Administrative Board has reviewed Region Gotland’s decision to grant us a building permit for an enduro track with an associated service loop, parking lot, and storage shed,” Conny Bohlin continues. “This means that the County Administrative Board has upheld Region Gotland’s decision to grant a building permit for a permanent enduro track in Hejdeby on Gotland.”
On May 22, 2026, the Gotland County Administrative Board decided, in case no. 148–2026, to deny the appeals filed, primarily regarding the application for a permanent enduro track for the Gotland Grand National (GGN), including the determination that the activity is not likely to have a significant environmental impact.
At the same time, the County Administrative Board referred a limited portion of the case back to the Environment and Building Board for a supplementary review of exemptions and permits related to petroleum handling within a water protection area.
The County Administrative Board, however, has not questioned the location, permissibility, or overall environmental impact of the operation.
– Regarding the permit for the handling of petroleum products, we have held it under both GGN 2024 and GGN 2025. In its decision of May 22, 2026, the County Administrative Board did not question the location, permissibility, or overall environmental impact of the operation, but merely determined that a specific exemption and permit review under the water protection regulations is formally required for certain aspects of petroleum handling within the protection zone. “We consider the supplementary exemption review to be a manageable and limited part of the process, since similar operations were already approved under GGN 2024 and GGN 2025,” concludes Conny Bohlin.
Today, May 26, 2026, a request for expedited processing of the matter was submitted to Region Gotland.
GGN 2026 is being planned and carried out as scheduled. The event has already obtained the necessary approvals under the Off-Road Driving Act and the Public Order Act.
FACTS
The Gotland Grand National is the world’s largest enduro race and attracts over 3,000 participants from several countries each year.
– The Gotland Grand National began in 1984 and has been held for 42 consecutive years
– Participants range in age from approximately 5 to 75 years old
– A course approximately 25 km long through Gotland’s terrain
– 28,000 guest nights during the competition week
– Approximately 100 million kronor in annual revenue for the local business community
– Approximately 800,000 kronor annually for community organizations
– 12 hours of live broadcast in 2026 (spread over two days)
– To be held October 22–24, 2026
For more information, please contact:
Conny Bohlin,CEO of Nordic Sport & Event AB
Phone:070-824 94 94.
Email: conny.bohlin@nordicsportevent.se
