Yesterday’s announcement by the Famagusta District Local Government Organization has caused concern and unrest among dozens of citizens, informing the public that the acceptance and review of urban planning applications concerning permits for single-family homes is suspended until the relevant Guidelines are approved by the Ministry of the Interior.

The announcement emphasizes that “the review of applications may proceed once the process is completed and the relevant approval is received from the Ministry of the Interior.”

“Until the approval process is completed, no new applications concerning single-family residences will be accepted.”

For its part, the Ministry of the Interior rejects the claim that it has suspended the acceptance of applications and clarifies that “the urban planning framework governing the policy for the construction of single-family homes, particularly in the Famagusta District, is absolutely clear and specific and is covered by the relevant provisions of three Development Plans, namely the Paralimni Local Plan, Ayia Napa and Deryneia, the Local Plan for the Free District of Famagusta, and the Policy Statement on British Bases (Akrotiri and Dhekelia).”

“These Development Plans set forth explicit regulatory provisions regarding the areas where the construction of a single-family residence may be permitted, the minimum required plot size, the maximum permitted distance of the plot from the development boundary, the acceptable form of access, the permitted development ratios, the percentage of land to be set aside for the creation of open public green space, the maximum permitted dwelling areas, the minimum required distances from the plot boundaries, social criteria regarding the actual housing needs of the owner’s/applicant’s nuclear family, as well as other parameters relevant to the development in question. These provisions limit to a minimum the scope of the discretion granted to the Urban Planning Authority to decide whether or not to permit a specific form of development and under what conditions.

Therefore, specifically for this District, the issuance of Guidelines should not be presented as a requirement and does not affect the ability to review applications for single-family residences in the Famagusta District.

Notwithstanding the above, and with the aim of establishing a uniform policy throughout Cyprus regarding single-family homes, the Ministry of the Interior is in the final stages of evaluating the recommendations recently submitted by the five District Local Government Organizations. Upon completion of the review of these proposals, common guidelines will be issued to the urban planning authorities to ensure that uniform procedures are followed when reviewing such applications.”