Filenews 23 July 2021 - Angelos Nikolaou
Performance of an enforcement notice, for the movement of illegal constructions and the removal of arbitrary interventions to owners of two beach bars operating illegally in the communities of Argakas and Galias was served by the Paphos Provincial Administration.
The alerts were served last Wednesday personally by an officer of the Paphos Provincial Administration. The first case concerns the Caretta Caretta Beach Bar in Galia and the second case concerns the Fly Again Irish Pub & Grill in Argaka. In both cases, development was carried out without the prior guarantee of environmental approval, planning permission and/or building permit, within the beach protection zone, by the owners of the businesses.
Notifications provide for the immediate movement of premises within 10 days. After the expiry of the deadline, the Paphos Provincial Administration will proceed to the movement with its own workshop in the presence of the local authority.
Caretta Caretta Beach Bar concerns the illegal construction and operation of a beach bar on a coastal piece of state-owned gravel land at the Kourtellokrama site, on the administrative boundaries of the community of Galia. The bar is located within the Urban Protection Zone (Z1) and the protected area of the Natura 2000 Special Conservation Zone Area of Polis – Gilia.
The Fly Again Irish Pub & Grill concerns the illegal expansion and operation of a food and recreation centre on a coastal piece of state-owned gravel land at the site, on the administrative boundaries of Argakas. It is located within the Urban Protection Zone (Z1) and the protected area of the Natura 2000 Special Conservation Zone Area of Polis – Gilia.
The effects of the two structures include: 1) ownership of land on coastal blocks of state-owned gravel land, 2) removal and flattening of dunes and sand ecosystems; 3) land capture and sealing of land within the Beach Protection Zone, 4) transport and placement of feral materials (crassiera), as well as creation of parking lots, 5) loss of sand dune natural habitats and sand-friendly species of wild flora, 6) planting of non-native and invasive alien species, mainly turf (grass), 7) extension of infrastructure; due to the installation of an irrigation and electricity transmission system, 8) loss or degradation of habitat/nesting area, as well as nuisance (due to trespassing, light pollution and noise pollution) of species of designation and priority of the protected area, most not least the two species of sea turtles Caretta caretta and Chelonia mydas.
