Cape Greco: planning council meets on legalising an unauthorised monastery in a Natura 2000 area
After an October vote in favour caused uproar, the Council for the Study of Deviations is finalising its opinion for the Cabinet on Friday.
The five members of the Council for the Study of Deviations (SYMEPA) are meeting on Friday to finalise their opinion on legalising an unauthorised monastery built in the heart of the environmentally sensitive, protected Natura 2000 area at Cape Greco. The Cabinet will take the final decision.
On 16 October four members voted in favour — representing the Union of Communities, the Union of Municipalities and two others — with only the representative of the Scientific and Technical Chamber (ETEK) opposed. The majority view runs counter to the official position of the Department of Environment and the Town Planning and Housing Department.
ETEK called for strict adherence to the law and demolition of the illegal structures, arguing that after-the-fact legalisation undermines the credibility of the planning system. The Audit Office also sent a letter to the Cabinet secretariat opposing legalisation.
Politically, AKEL criticised the favourable opinion and raised questions about the country's planning model, and the Ecologists movement demanded immediate rejection and enforcement of earlier demolition decisions. A joint letter from Terra Cypria and BirdLife Cyprus argues that alternatives were not examined, that there are no overriding reasons of public interest and that adequate compensatory measures have not been adopted.
AKEL has also registered a parliamentary discussion on how planning deviations are granted in Cyprus.
Sources
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