Paphos mayor calls for halt to unlicensed hillside works

Paphos, Cyprus. Paphos Mayor Angelos Onisiforou on Monday called for immediate intervention over excavation work between Anavargos and Armos, alleging that a hillside is being altered without the required planning permission.

He said the work was continuing during the holiday period despite previous orders for it to stop.

Alleged unauthorised works

The complaint concerns a private plot where extensive excavation and levelling have created large slopes and deep cuts in the land.

Onisiforou described the situation as unacceptable and said the owner was taking advantage of holidays to continue the work undisturbed.

“He even takes advantage of holidays so that the work can be carried out undisturbed and completed,” he said.

Suspension decree

Paphos district government organisation (EOA) president Charalambos Pittokopitis had previously said that a decree was being prepared to order the suspension of the work.

He said planning permission was required because of the scale of the excavation and the slopes created, but no permit had been obtained.

The decision followed an earlier complaint by Onisiforou, who said the owner had already been ordered three times to stop the work but had not complied.

Environmental concerns

The mayor called for the matter to be addressed urgently, citing the need to protect the surrounding environment.