Platania, Cyprus. The forestry department said on Wednesday that the Platania camping site will reopen after planned upgrade works, following public criticism of an earlier announcement that it would no longer operate as a camping area.
The department said the announcement was intended to enable the removal of caravans and other unauthorised structures before redevelopment, rather than indicate a permanent closure.
Upgrade plans
Forestry department spokesman Glafkos Kyriakou said the announcement had been issued following input from the legal service to allow the department to proceed with its planning.
“It will definitely reopen,” Kyriakou said, adding that the department had previously estimated that the upgrade would require about one to one and a half years after the site was vacated.
The department has previously said that Platania requires extensive improvements before it can safely resume operations.
Public reaction
The initial announcement prompted criticism on social media, where users said the closure would remove one of the island’s few affordable holiday options for families.
Platania Free Campers Association president Marios Stylianou criticised the decision to close the site completely during the works.
“They force people to go camping freely, which is prohibited, resulting in our forest land not being controlled at all,” he said. “When we discussed upgrading the campsite in phases, they did not accept and decided to close it down.”
Permission requirement
The forestry department also reminded the public that permission from its director is required to erect any structure, including tents and caravans, in a state forest.