Filenews 9 February 2023 - by Angelos Nicolaou
The plans for the marina in Paphos do not include development within the sea, the building ratio has increased but not as expected by the stakeholders, the construction of tall buildings is not allowed, while the attraction of large yachts is excluded. This is an important decision for the district of Paphos that everyone expects to be implemented since 2006 in the Potima area of the Kissonerga community.
The Council of Ministers with its decision yesterday approved the proposal submitted by the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Savvas Perdios, with the aim of holding a tender to find an investor for the development of the project. The submission of the tender concerns both the creation of a marina with commercial and residential development, as well as a combined development, i.e. a marina with commercial and residential development and infrastructure for the reception of luxury cruise ships (pier) to serve a new form of tourist development in Cyprus, that of luxury cruise ships.
It is noted, however, that more weight in the scoring criteria that will be set, should be given to the offers that will promote combined development. The documents must also state that the investor selected for the construction of hotel infrastructure in both cases is given the opportunity.
Yesterday's decision also refers to the urban planning parameters that will be taken into account for the project based on the decision of the Planning Council, as well as to the way of submitting the application to the competent Planning Authority.
Specifically, the Town Planning Council, after examining the data and data before it and taking into account that there is no substantial differentiation of the current land uses in the wider area and no influence on the amenities of neighbouring uses, decided on 17/1/2023 to take a positive position on the following changes, regarding the zoning policy for the Paphos marina:
>> Increase of the total buildable area of the development from 40,000sq.m. to 48.000sq.m. The total buildable area of the development can be increased, in addition, by 5,000 sq.m., after the use of urban planning incentives, in case the development combines infrastructure for the reception of luxury cruise ships (pier). The scholars were asking for it to be increased to 60,000sq.m. buildable area.
>> Increase the number of floors of the premises from two to four. The designers proposed to increase the maximum height of the buildings to 5-6 floors.
>> Mention of the hotel as a permitted tourist use and the possibility of constructing infrastructure for the reception of luxury cruise ships (pier). It is noted that it is planned to accommodate cruise ships with a maximum length of about 220m., i.e. luxury.
Furthermore, the Town Planning Council confirmed that the implementation of urban planning incentives for the purpose of recovering development activity also applies to the Paphos Marina, on the basis of the decision of the Council of Ministers, dated 26/5/ 2014. Also, the Town Planning Council confirmed the possibility of utilizing relevant urban planning incentives in case the Paphos marina project includes renewable energy sources (RES) utilization systems.
The Town Planning Council unanimously decided that the spatial policy for the Paphos Marina should be reassessed, as a whole, in the context of the institutional revision/ amendment of the Pafos Local Plan, a process that is underway. In case the process of finding a contractor for the Paphos Marina project is not completed before the next institutional amendment of the Paphos Local Plan, then the contractor together with the Deputy Ministry of Tourism will submit an application to the competent Planning Authority for approval of the masterplan with the deviation procedure. Otherwise, i.e. if the modification of the Paphos Local Plan and, by extension, of the special zoning policy for the Paphos Marina, precede the completion of the process of finding a contractor, then the relevant application to the competent Planning Authority for the approval of the spatial plan (masterplan) will be made by the contractor, without requiring participation in the urban planning application of the Deputy Ministry of Tourism.
The Coordinating Committee of Pafos Parties and Organizations (excluding the NLG) and the Community Council of Kissonerga recommend that the creation of a combined development along with hotel infrastructure be set as a mandatory requirement for the investor. The NLG, the Association of Major Developments and the Paphos ETAP suggest that the issue of combined development be left to the discretion of the investor, as well as the possibility of building a hotel infrastructure.
Investors expected in 2024
The Deputy Minister of Tourism, Savvas Perdios, spoke of "an issue that has been dormant for 30 years and the deputy ministry has tried to put on track for four years now", something that is achieved with today's decision, as he said. The Deputy Minister of Tourism noted that it is a "big and important project, not only for Paphos, but also for the tourism of Cyprus".
He explained that the decision to combine development, with residential and commercial spaces, a cruise ship pier and a hotel, arose after a study by experts, which showed that this type of development can go ahead. "The study showed that indeed from a technical point of view combined development can be done, provided that the pier for cruise ships will be for vessels up to 220 meters only, therefore luxury cruisers and not the large cruise ships that we are used to seeing, for example in Limassol", explained Mr. Perdios. "This is very important, because it is also in line with the objectives of the deputy ministry to attract higher-income tourism to Cyprus," he added.
He noted, of course, that what will ultimately be included in the project will be decided by the investor, "so that we can have a framework that will generate interest", as he said. "What is important for us as a state and especially for the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, is that in the grading criteria, more weight will definitely be given to combined development, which will generate more revenue for the local economy, but also for various villages in the Paphos area and the Polis Chrysochous district," he added.
He also mentioned that after consulting with the bodies of Paphos, the Town Planning Council preliminarily decided to take a positive position, clarifying "that the investor, when the time comes, will have to submit the environmental studies and masterplans that he must". Asked about the next steps of the planning, Mr. Perdios said that in the first stage the deputy ministry will proceed with the terms to find a designer, who will help to proceed with the tender to find the investor. "These are the immediate priorities of 2023 for the deputy ministry and I believe that if we are consistent, we will have final indications of investors and where they are moving, in 2024," he concluded.
INTERVENTION
Different from the others
The decision taken for a marina in Paphos is very important, even if the time period taken may cause reactions. The government, correctly, in its plans for the project did not include all the projects included in the marinas in the remaining provinces. The development of cruise tourism as included in the plans opens up prospects that will benefit not only the area of Kissonerga, but the entire district of Paphos. The marina and infrastructure for the reception of cruise ships with the hotel as proposed, is a feasible and sustainable development and therefore it is expected to attract investors. It is enough this time for the institutions of the Pafos district to work together for the good of the place.
LAW.
