Filenews 9 April 2021 - by Angelos Nikolaou
The necessity of the construction of a cathedral in the Public Garden of Paphos had been highlighted since 1955, when part of the garden for the construction of the Municipal Palace was granted, from the metropolis of Paphos, with simultaneous provision - commitment to the rental agreement of the rest of the department, for the construction of a cathedral. Today, and at the request of the Environmental Authority last July, the Municipal Engineer of the Municipality of Paphos submitted the relevant study and is open for consultation until 7/5/2021 in the Department of the Environment.
The study, carried out by P. Nikolaidis & Associates Ltd., presents in detail the description and characteristics of the project, the description of the exact location, the surrounding area and the physical characteristics of the study area, as well as an analysis of all environmental parameters that may be affected by the construction and operation of the project. Furthermore, the traffic impact study and traffic management study are also before the Environmental Authority.
The cathedral of the holy metropolis of Paphos is proposed to be erected within the administrative boundaries of the Municipality of Paphos in the parish of Agios Theodoros. The rhythm of the Church is "Triple Basilica" and the capacity of the church is about 350 people. Access to the main entrance of the temple (western entrance) will be from Christodoulos Galatopoulos Street. Entrance to the site of the temple is also made from the street of March 25th. In the study area and within a radius of about 1km, there are areas with mainstream use of housing, other public uses (stages, schools, government buildings, etc.), parks, squares, cafes, etc.
The area of the building where the church is planned to be erected is 14,382sq.m. The building of the temple and its associated infrastructure will occupy a percentage of the order of 6% of the total area of this piece. Specifically, the total area of the project will be approximately 832sq.m. The height of the temple building will be 11.73m.
The registered plans for planning permission propose 24 parking spaces and 2 additional spaces for people with mobility problems. Public parking spaces located on the periphery of the block, in particular the 30 parking spaces on 25 March, will also be used.
They rejected the alternative.
The technical characteristics of the temple exceed the permitted limits set in the existing urban area and therefore visual pollution may be created by the inclusion of a large-scale development in an area designated as protected, as well as affecting the landscape of the area taking into account the sites and buildings of historical and cultural importance that exist in the tangent pieces but also in the wider area of the project (Municipal Palace , school complex, Kennedy Square, antiquities, etc.).
In an effort to satisfy the Environmental Authority's recommendation for alternative options for the construction of the cathedral, in order to study and whether the needs of the church-goers in the area can be met by the other temples nearby, the project's scholars, in addition to the proposed solution, proposed another solution.
It should be noted, however, that the alternative solution examined refers to the location of the project, at the "Musalla" site. This location is about 330 metres away. southwest of the Municipal Palace at the end of Andrea Ioannou Street. According to the scholars, the reason this solution was not chosen is because the proposed construction site of the proposed project was a public square and therefore needed several procedures for its urban declassification. At this stage the space is used for the café "Muse", so the construction of the temple entails demolition of the cafeteria. Also, the neighbouring facilities of the site "Musica", are mainly building complexes and residences, which would be significantly affected by the difficult conditions of the construction site.
The effects are insignificant, scholars say.
According to the results of an analysis and evaluation of the environmental aspects of the proposed project, the effects that may occur during the construction phase are estimated to be moderate to insignificant, according to the scholars. Also, due to the duration of implementation of the project and the preventive measures planned to be implemented, the environmental impacts will be reversible and short-term. It is also stressed by the scholars that the effects at the construction stage are not of the same intensity and severity at all stages of construction. As regards the stage of operation of the project, they point out, the presence of any significant impacts, particularly on the traffic load of the area, is not expected. In general, they add, the proposed project is compatible with the environment of its location area.
Archaeological overview before the works
After consulting the Department of Antiquities, the group of consultants was informed by letter dated 2 November 2020 that piece 3232 is located in an area that in antiquity was part of the necropolises of ancient Paphos. This is evidenced by the accidental discovery of tombs in the area of the city around the Municipal Palace, during recent excavations for the installation of drains of the drain system. For this reason, the Director of the Department of Antiquities states in this letter that before the start of construction of the project, the Department of Antiquities should conduct an archaeological review of the area occupied by the temple.
Disagrees with the ETEK
The implementation of this project is, in the view of the ETEK, contrary to any principle of sustainable urban development and respect for the history, culture and identity of the city of Paphos. The ETEK points out that the construction of a cathedral in the Municipal Garden will have substantial consequences. Furthermore, it notes that the examination of alternatives should include the indication of all the pieces within or within the boundaries of the urban centre of Paphos, which are either owned by the Church or easy to obtain, as well as an assessment of each alternative in terms of its urban, aesthetic and traffic effects, which in this case are the most important. For ETEK, the need to build a temple of 350 people remains unsupported, while in close proximity and next to the metropolis, there is the existing church of Agios Theodoros.
