Filenews 31 July 2025
The mayor of Kourion, Pantelis Georgiou, said on Thursday morning on CyBC's Morning Itinerary that a serious issue that arises regarding the restoration of damages to houses destroyed by the deadly fire in mountainous Limassol is the management of the houses that had been erected without permission outside the residential areas of the communities.
Mr. Georgiou said that after a meeting held yesterday with local government officials and state officials, it is estimated that 20 to 30% of the houses that were completely or partially destroyed fall into the category of unlicensed premises, which were erected outside the legal residential zones.
The mayor of Kourion said that in recent years, with the exacerbation of the housing problem, many poor families have built houses in fields outside the residential zones, in order to use them as permanent residences.
However, it is possible that some of the illegal houses also belong to families with financial means, who use them as holiday homes.
Mr. Georgiou said that this serious aspect must be discussed, because there are families with financial problems who, based on yesterday's decision of the Minister, will receive only 25% of the value of their damaged property and will not be able to restore it and continue to use it.
Many of these houses are rather impossible to license, as they were erected in areas where there are no residential developments or no developments.
What applies to these premises
According to the Ministerial decision:
- Owners of unlicensed premises outside the residential zone, without security, should submit an application for development licensing to the Deviation Study Council, no later than 31.12.2025. Financial assistance is paid to applicants as follows:
- 25% upon submission of the application for licensing,
- if licensed, 25% upon presentation of a statement by a designer (Architect/Civil Engineer) that it was appointed by the owner for the implementation of the required works, and
- 50% upon submission of a Certificate by the designer that half (50%) of the works have been completed and to fully cover the remaining works, as determined by the said Certificate. The responsibility for the execution of the works, the replacement of the equipment, etc., will be borne exclusively by the owners of the affected premises.
Otherwise,
- If they are not licensed, only 25% of the estimated damage, as it will have already been paid at the time of submission of the application, is granted as a pardon.
- Owners of unlicensed premises outside the residential zone, safely, should submit an application for development licensing to the Deviation Study Council, no later than 31.12.2025, and:
- if they are licensed, an amount equal to the excess waiver of the security is granted, or
- If they are not licensed, financial assistance equal to 25% of the excess waiver of the security is granted.
