Environmental groups urge rejection of legalisation for Metropolis of Constantia buildings

Environmental organisations Terra Cypria and BirdLife Cyprus have submitted an urgent request to the Cypriot Minister of Interior and the Council for the Study of Planning Exemptions (SYMEPA) to reject a retrospective planning permit application. The application concerns unauthorised construction works carried out by the Holy Metropolis of Constantia and Ammochostos within the Cape Greco protection zone in the Municipality of Ayia Napa.

On 16 October, SYMEPA initially voted 4-1 in favour of granting the permit, with the only dissenting vote coming from the representative of the Cyprus Scientific and Technical Chamber (ETEK). Following a request from the Metropolis to present additional evidence, the Council is scheduled to reconvene on 13 November 2026 to finalise the minutes and reach a definitive decision. The two environmental groups are calling for an official negative opinion to be submitted to the Council of Ministers, citing legal and environmental concerns previously raised by relevant authorities.

The case highlights ongoing tensions regarding land use in protected coastal areas. The groups maintain that the application should be denied based on the substantive legal and factual data already documented by environmental and planning authorities, warning that they reserve all rights as statutory environmental protectors to ensure regulatory compliance.