Cabinet approves license for new Limassol shopping mall

The Cypriot Council of Ministers has officially granted a license for the construction of the Limassol Mall. This decision concludes a long-standing competition between two rival consortiums planning malls within 300 meters of each other. The approved project is being developed by the Papantoniou Group and a consortium of Cypriot companies, which also owns the Nicosia Mall and includes entities like the Zorbas Group and PHC. The permit was granted by way of derogation, as the cabinet holds the authority to do so. A key factor in this decision was the recently advanced design for the regulatory plan of Agios Athanasios Avenue, which is expected to mitigate potential traffic congestion near the development. Despite this, there is currently no concrete timeline for the road improvement project. The decision has faced criticism from local store owners, who fear the mall will negatively impact commerce throughout Limassol, and from citizens concerned about existing traffic chaos in the area.