Future without limitation



Urriðaholt is a new hillside community in Garðabær Iceland, where 8-10.000 people will work and live. Urriðaholt offers a unique location in Iceland for growing businesses:

  • Centrally located and connected to one of Reykjavík's main highways ; 15 minute drive to downtown Reykjavík, 25 minute drive to Reykjavík International Airport.
  • Panoramic views of the spectacular surrounding landscape, encompassing mountains and volcanoes, a lava field and the ocean; overlooking the ecologically precious lake Urriðavatn.
  • Beautiful natural setting by both the Heiðmörk wilderness park and a world class golf course; offering therefore plenty of opportunities to enjoy many and varied outdoor activities.
  • A community in the forefront of design in Iceland, emphasizing new ideas and techniques that create an environmentally, socially and economically sustainable environment.
  • Mobile phone penetration in Iceland is among the highest in the world, as well as Internet penetration.
The master plan for Urriðaholt has won an Urban Design Citation from the Boston Society of Architects and has been selected as one of the best practical approaches  to development by the Scandinavian Ministries for the Environment.

Rich sense of place

We have done our utmost to create a rich "sense of place" and a secure and interesting environment for those who will live and work in Urridaholt. The area will have a blend of both cityscape and natural surroundings to create a sociable place with a high quality of life.

The feel of the town comes from an assorted mix of residential and commercial areas, knowledge-based industries, and a strong social infrastructure. The development of the business and commercial zones will be flexible and shaped by the demands of the modern business environment. The heart of Urriðaholt will be on the hilltop, which will function as the center of services and the center of entertainment, anchored in the fields of arts, culture and environment, as well as the site for local schools and recreational activities.









A competitive tax policy in Iceland and Garðabær

The Urriðaholt hill site is a part of the Garðabær municipality that has a reputation of promoting corporate business and individual entrepreneurship with a highly competitive tax policy.
  • Corporate income tax in Iceland is 18% which is one of the lowest tax rates within the OECD member countries. There are no additional corporate income taxes on the municipal level.* 
  • In Garðabær, the individual municipal income tax is 12.46%, second lowest in Iceland.
  • In Garðabær, corporate property tax of 1.45% is one of the lowest in the country.

    Property rates in Garðabær include:

 

 

Residential buildings

Corporate properties

Property Tax

0.240 % of rateable value

1.450% of rateable value

Plat Rental

0.3 % of rateable value

1.0% of rateable value

Refuse tax

12,500 ISK per flat

 

Sewer and cesspool charge

0.10% of rateable value

0.10% of rateable value

Water rate

0.13% of rateable value

0.13% of rateable value

 

            *Click here for more on the Icelandic Tax environment

  • Modern administration: The best bureaucracy is the one that makes itself unnecessary. This will soon be the case in Garðabær where all your transactions with the local administration will be online through a public portal. The project “MinnGarðabær” has already been awarded the World Summit Award, for the best in eContent creativity.

Education and Culture - A local community with a global edge

The Urriðaholt hill site community will be a proud addition to the Garðabær municipality, which has a high standing for its educational and cultural policy.

  • Freedom of choice: Garðabær community offers a wide variety of both publicly and privately run schools and kindergartens. Most importantly, residents of Garðabær municipality do not have to pay for their children's education, not even in a private school.
  • Diversity: In Garðabær, there are many options for your child’s education, some of which are renowned in the world of education, e.g. the Hjallastefna private schools, which have shown remarkable results in motivating boys and girls alike to realize their fullest potential. In Garðabær, there is also an international school, where the curriculum is taught in English, with a strong emphasis on international relations.
  • Sports education: All children in the Garðabær municipality receive a motivational grant to pursue sports activities of their own choice (20,000 ISK a year per child).
  • Sports activities: There are numerous gymnasiums (Mýrin, Ásgarður), swimming pools, football fields, training grounds; Boy and Girl Scout organisations, as well as recreational areas for riding.
  • Cultural achievements: In Garðabær, there is a conservatoire and the Icelandic Museum of Design and Applied Art – the only one of its kind in Iceland. Therefore, we are particularly proud of the fact that Urriðaholt has repeatedly been rewarded for its urban planning and design layout.